ValleyClan: A New Beginning ON HOLD
by Wolfsplash McWarriorstrash
Summary: The tale of a young clan and the hard decisions their leader is forced to make. Clanmates will come and go, but the clan will remain.. Right? [Indefinitely on hold]
1. Allegiances And Warrior Code

**Allegiances**

* * *

 **Leader**

Thunderstar - White tom with pale gray tabby patches on his head and tail; blue eyes

 _Apprentice, Asterpaw_

 **Deputy**

Ravinefall - Sleek dark brown tabby she-cat with black stripes

 _Apprentice, Gorgepaw_

 **Medicine Cats**

Rivertail - Stocky red she-cat with a short tail and broad muzzle

Strathfang - Wiry black tom with ragged ears

 **Warriors**

Runningwillow - Strong cream tabby tom

Elderpelt - Orange tabby

 _Apprentice, Duskpaw_

Dellsong - Pretty ginger and black she-cat

Valestorm - White she-cat with black ears, back, and tail

 _Apprentice, Redpaw_

Rabbitleap - Gray tuxedo tom with no tail and a 'hopping' gate

Glenberry - Spotted blue tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

 _Apprentice, Gullypaw_

Hollowfoot - Amber-eyed brown tabby tom with white paws, belly, and muzzle

 _Apprentice, Flamepaw_

Greenpath - Green-eyed gray tabby she-cat with white paws

Covetail - Small, lithe pointed tom with an angular head

Duckwing - Blind white tom with bright blue eyes and a stumpy tail

 **Apprentices**

Gorgepaw - Off-white tabby tom

Gullypaw - Sandy tabby she-cat

Duskpaw - Small, lithe pointed she-cat with an angular head

Flamepaw - Red tom with pale green eyes

Redpaw - Tall ginger she-cat

Asterpaw - White she-cat with orange tabby patches

 **Queens**

Brindleflame - A tortishell tabby she-cat

Kits: Creekkit (ginger tabby tom), Amberkit (cream tabby tom with white chest and tail tip), Stonekit (silver tom with white toes), and Ravenkit (black tom)

Longwhisker - A long-legged silver tabby with swirling black stripes and green eyes

 **Elders**

Aspenstripe - A gray-muzzled tortishell tabby she-cat

Dalefeather - Dark ginger tabby tom with a crick in his back from an old injury

Sweetflower - Skinny white and black she-cat; the oldest cat in ValleyClan

* * *

 **The ValleyClan Warrior Code**

* * *

-Protect and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life  
-Prey is only to be killed for food and cats must thank StarClan for its life  
-When the leader dies or retires, the deputy will become leader  
-When the deputy dies or retires, a new deputy must be named before the next dawn  
-Any cat in danger will be shown compassion, whether Clan, rogue, or kittypet  
-The word of the leader is law  
-Put the Clan before any single cat  
-Kits must reach six moons before they can become apprentices  
-Direct kin may not mentor related apprentices  
-Queens must start sleeping in the nursery when they are half a moon from kitting  
-Apprentices must have a final assessment to become warriors  
-Apprentices must journey to the Star cave before they can be named warriors.  
-To become deputy, a cat must have been a mentor to at least one apprentice or be mentoring at the time  
-To be leader, a cat must journey to the Star cave and receive their nine lives and new name  
-Medicine cats will journey to the Star cave at the sliver moon to speak with StarClan  
-Warriors, queens, elders, and deputies need not journey to the Star cave after their respective journey as an apprentice  
-Kits may not hunt, fight, or leave Clan territory until they receive their apprentice name  
-A cat may not eat before he feeds the Clan  
-No cat will be purposefully killed in battle or cold blood  
-Cats may not have mates outside of the Clan  
-Medicine cats and the deputy may not have kits unless they have another medicine cat or warrior to take their places respectively  
-Cats may not chose a mate until they receive their warrior name  
-*When a cat receives their warrior name, they may never abandon their Clan or their duties


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

Wide diamond blue eyes reflected the light of the moon in the night. The near full white orb floated so far away, yet the tom felt he could almost reach out and touch it. Removing his eyes from the moon for a moment, he stretched, wincing at the pain in his neck. It reminded him of how alive he felt. Today had been the second time the young leader had lost a life. The first had been foolish, slipping into the frozen stream and drowning. Lucky for him, his warriors would not give up on him and drug him from the streambed, saving his other lives. Then, it had made him feel wretched. Even after StarClan's healing powers, he'd soon caught green-cough and nearly lost another life. But he was lucky. Battling a group of rogues had reminded him of that. It had been another foolish mistake, a momentary lapse turned fatal. But the rogues did not have their ancestors on their side, and they were soon driven from the territory.

Still, the blue-eyed tom sighed. His Clan was still so small. His warriors had nearly been matched in numbers to the group of rogues. He was lucky to have as many apprentices and kits in his Clan as it was, but a pawful of warriors had left a moon ago, claiming they were unsafe and doomed in the Clan.

"Up so late?" the tom jumped. A skinny black cat sat beside his leader, curling his tail over his paws. His shredded ears hung in ribbons aside his head.

"I know you died, but what can possibly be troubling you after the way Longwhisker reacted?" the black cat's whiskers twitched and in response the leader flattened his ears, his skin growing hot under his fur.

"I lost a life, I didn't _die._ And how do you know... er, what Longwhisker did after the battle?" the leader replied awkwardly. He forced himself to stare up at the moon even as his brother snickered at him.

"I didn't. I just meant the way she was fretting over you, earlier. But _now_ I know." he purred.

"Shut up, Strathfang." the tom hissed, "If you _really_ wanted to know what's worrying me, it's the Clan. I never thought it was even possible, but our numbers have dwindled since father was leader." Strathfang nodded, looking up with his brother, thoughtful.

"Well, in all honesty, it was bound to happen. Did you ever think your words were as soothing as Cliffstar's? And anyways, you're leader now, Thunders _tar_. By law, shouldn't you be able to, you know... make the Clan do _whatever_ you want?" he queried suggestively. Thunderstar was about to scold his brother again, when he stopped mid-breathe. It might not be the exact way he'd go about it, but maybe Strathfang was onto something.

"There may just be truth to what you say, brother." he replied. The black tom twitched his tattered ears in surprise.

"You can't be serious! I was just joking-that's barbaric and cruel.." he muttered uncomfortably. Thunderstar rolled his eyes.

"That's not really what I mean. None of the young warriors seem to have any interest in one another. No interest in the Clan means they'll look for that outside the Clan. It already has, in fact. Whomever Flamepaw's father is, he's not a ValleyClan warrior." Strathfang remained silent, "More cats will leave. It will destroy the Clan. I can't rightly explain it, now, but I can show you, if you trust me." A bit awkwardly, Thunderstar drug his eyes away from the moon and looked his kin in the face. Looking, now, he was reminded of just how different they were. Black shrouded the amber eyes of his brother, while his own blue eyes were wreathed in stripes and splashes of white. It was hard at times to believe they had the same mother, let alone father. Shadows of worry haunted those amber eyes, but he nodded.

"How exactly can you.. _show_ me?" he queried, his tone veiling anxiety.

Thunderstar rolled his eyes and smirked, "At Duckpaw's warrior ceremony."


	3. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

* * *

"All cats of ValleyClan join beneath the Elm tree for a Clan meeting!" the yowl of the Clan leader made Asterpaw jerk her head, jolted awake. And she'd been having the best dream, she'd almost caught a mouse..

A furry paw swung over and bopped her nose. She sneezed involuntarily and glared at the slumbering dirty white tabby apprentice, Gorgepaw. He yawned but his eyes remained closed. His sister was much more awake, quickly licking her mussy fur flat. She blinked at Asterpaw in greeting. Flamepaw was nowhere to be seen, likely already in the clearing. She wondered when the rowdy tom even slept. Behind her, she could just see Duskpaw's dark fur and Duckpaw's white pelt curled up in their nests, waking more slowly. Redpaw sat up beside her and walked straight from the den.

Eager to get out of the stuffy, crowded den, Asterpaw started her own quick grooming. She ran her tongue over her paw and combed her ears, simultaneously using her tongue across her chest fur when she wasn't licking her paw. Her work wasn't perfect, but she was more concerned with getting to the Clan meeting to care. She brushed through the tall grass walls and past a few thistle that sprouted around the den during green-leaf. She winced as one tugged at her flank, but it released her in a moment. Half the Clan was already arranged in the clearing, sitting with their kin and friends.

Deciding to sit with her own kin, she found Sweetflower sitting with Dalefeather and his mate and sat between her grandmother and the old tom. Sweetflower purred, giving Asterpaw's ear a quick lick. Dalefeather flicked her side with his tail welcomingly.

"Good morning, Dalefeather. Do you know what the meeting is for?" the apprentice mewed, looking up at him with curious green eyes.

He shook his head, "No doubt something troublesome, kit. I heard Thunderstar and Strathfang were outside past moon-high last night, whispering about- er, big cat things. Let's just wait and listen."

"How did you sleep, Asterpaw?" Sweetflower asked, pulling her attention away from the focus of the meeting.

"Better than the other nights. My nightmares are going away." she mewed happily, although she wanted to shutter. Since the day her parents had left, she'd had terrifying dreams that warped her memory of watching them leave the camp forever.

Sweetflower's face was worried but she purred, "That's great, Asterpaw." The cats gathered became hushed and the last cats found their places. Redpaw dashed over from her mentor's side and sat behind Asterpaw, giving her a nudge in greeting.

"Cats of ValleyClan!" the leader yowled, perched on a low branch in the tree in the center of camp. His bright pelt showed well in the shadows of dawn. The leader sat and cleared his throat. Everyone was already silent. "I have consulted with our medicine cats, and although it was difficult, I have decided to make an addition to our warrior code."

The two cats mentioned glanced at each other, the she-cat glaring back at Strathfang. He flattened his ears, although it was hard to tell, and Rivertail growled, but looked back up at their leader in resolution.

"From now on, when a cat becomes a warrior.." the leader swallowed, seemingly losing his nerve. His brother nodded at him expectantly and he blinked, staring towards him but not seeing anything. "When a cat becomes a warrior, they must promise to-to never abandon their Clan, or duties as a warrior."

Immediately the Clan was in an uproar of whispers and growls, clearly referring to the cats that had already left. Asterpaw looked back at Redpaw, concerned. She didn't quite lik the feeling this new code gave her. Redpaw's eyes only reflected her own worry and she flicked her sister's flank with her tail comfortingly. Thunderstar called for silence and she looked back to the tall oak before her.

"Any cats already named warriors will be exempt from taking a new oath, but will still have to obey it. I know it may be confusing, but if all goes well, we will be able to test out this amendment later today, when Duckpaw receives his warrior name."

Everyone turned to the blind apprentice. His blue eyes were wide and blank, while his ears swiveled uneasily, as if he were trying to sense the stares he attracted from the gathered cats. His mother and father, Valestorm and Rabbitleap, whispered together, their heads bowed closely.

"You may return to your duties." the leader called, and immediately disappeared into his den in the roots of the oak. His mate, Longwhisker, slipped out of the nursery and skirted the edges of the clearing and joined him.

"Darker times are ahead." Dalefeather murmured, and struggled to his paws, grunting at the pain in his back. Sweetflower stood and gave him a bit of support as he swayed on his paws.

"'Paws, why don't you ask Runningwillow if you can help with Duckpaw's assessment? I hate to belittle him, but.. well, be off with you." the elder's smile betrayed her curt words, and she lent Dalefeather her shoulder as they walked back to their den.

Asterpaw took a breath and sighed heavily. Thunderstar must forget he had an apprentice at all, sometimes. She hopped to her paws and turned cheerily to her sister.

"Shall we?" she purred. Redpaw waved her tail and walked with her sister towards the cream-pelted warrior. The tom stood, leaving his brother, Elderpelt, to his own apprentice. He tilted his head at the two she-cats.

"Hm? Do you need something from me?" he asked, his familiar voice warm.

As Asterpaw opened her mouth to speak, Redpaw beat her to it, "Since our mentors are, er, busy, we thought you might need help with um.. Duckpaw's assessment?" her sister shook her head; Redpaw wasn't one for words. The tom looked at the sky.

"No, Duckpaw's almost a warrior. Just because he can't see that doesn't change anything. I think you two should go hunting. I can even stop by during his assessment and give you a little assessment of your own." he meowed, compromising.

"Okay!" Asterpaw replied happily. Redpaw spun on her heels and dashed from the camp through the heather tunnel. Her sister followed more slowly, letting the red she-cat disappear into the trees. She paused on the well-beaten path to scent the air, parting her lips. Duckpaw's scent was fresh, perhaps a few moments old. He was taking his time walking to the practice clearing. _Runningwillow won't be assessing us until Duckpaw starts.._ she thought, turning her paws onto the path the older apprentice had taken.

It only took a moment to reach the clearing. The tall rotting log that split it caught her eyes a moment before Duckpaw's white pelt took her attention. The pale tom was staring at nothing-although that should have been expected-his ears always moving with the sounds of the forest around him. Asterpaw glanced up at the gap in the tree limbs where the dead log had once grown, tall and beautiful. In its absence, she could just see the tops of the cliffs that surrounded their territory. She shuttered just looking up that high. She couldn't imagine what it felt like to stand up there. She sort of wanted to find out. She wondered if a cat was looking down on their territory now, down at her.

"Gorgepaw?" Duckpaw meowed curiously, his head tilted to the side. His ears swiveled towards her.

She let out a mrow of laughter. "I'll be fresh-kill before I become as arrogant as that furball!" she purred as she approached the white tom, flicking his shoulder in greeting. He ruffled his fur, disgruntled.

"I can't know everything, Asterpaw. I don't know how your blundering badger paws ever catch even a mouse." he purred, butting her shoulder with his head. "Why are you here? Even you've got to know it's my assessment, today." he chided playfully.

"I just.. wanted to wish you luck." she replied, trying to meet his eyes. She knew he couldn't see her, but it was a habit of hers. His eyes gaped blankly at her, wide and unfocused. It interested her more than anything else: he'd never know if she was staring at him or doing something funny with her face. Her whiskers twitched in amusement.

"Thanks, I really need it." he lowered his tail. She took a step closer to him, her flank brushing his to comfort him.

"Nonsense. You're going to make a great warrior, Duckpaw. I know it. I can feel it in my claws." Asterpaw looked down at her paws, flexing her claws and probing lightly into the flattened grass beneath them. He sighed.

"Well you may feel it, but I can feel every cat in the Clan doubting me. If I ever become a warrior, it'll be only out of pity." he muttered. Resent saturated his mew.

"You don't believe that, do you?" she asked, distressed. She touched her tail to his, trying to give him more comfort. "No warrior is perfect. You already said I can't hunt to save my tail. C'mon, you have to know how proud Rabbitleap is of you?"

"He doesn't know any better, though. He's barely been a warrior longer than I've been alive." Asterpaw had forgotten. But it was hard to remember things that had been told to her rather than she remembered. She sighed.

"He's not the only one, Duckpaw. Don't you see how much Gullypaw admires you? She'd follow you to the ends of the living world. Gorgepaw wouldn't know what to do without you." his ears laid back.

"Maybe. But I'll never be able to be a full warrior. I can't fight a battle alone or even get around the territory alone on a bad day." His ears twitched. Asterpaw tried to hear what he did, but she could never focus on too many things at a time.

"But that's what a Clan is for. Clanmates will fight by your side and lend you a paw when you need it. It's the same-"

"Ready for your assessment?" Runningwillow stopped a few paces from the apprentices. Asterpaw dipped her head.

"Good luck, Duckpaw." she meowed, before leaving the clearing quickly. She halted a few pawsteps out of earshot to scent the air once more. Redpaw hadn't been around here since yesterday. She was probably hunting by the stream, it was her favorite spot. Asterpaw preferred by the cliffs, where lots of small furry creatures liked to slip between the rocks. The fluttery sound of birds' wings caught her attention. A thrush hopped around a stray branch lying along the ground. Asterpaw slipped into a crouch, softly letting her breath out as her chest fur grazed the forest floor. Pawstep by pawstep, she crept forward. The little bird hopped up onto the branch, almost turning enough to see the apprentice. She froze in place and almost let out a sigh as it turned opposite her direction. As it pecked a bit at the rotting branch, her haunches wriggled and she launched herself at it. Its cry was quickly silenced as she crushed its fragile windpipe.

"Well done, Asterpaw! I wouldn't have thought you a bird hunter." Runningwillow's praise rumbled in his throat, escaping as a purr. He almost scared her out of her pelt.

"Th-thank you, Runningwillow. I've been trying to get better at catching them." She dipped her head gratefully. The senior warrior's eyes softened with concern.

"Thunderstar hasn't been teaching you?" he asked quietly. She shook her head.

"I don't mind, though. I can do things by myself." she puffed out her chest defensively. The old tom looked at the ground for a moment before he looked her in the eyes and responded.

"After we get back to camp, and hopefully after Duckpaw's uneventful naming ceremony, fetch Redpaw and come see me?" he asked. She tilted her head but nodded. He reciprocated it curtly and stood, loping off to find his apprentice. She watched him go for a moment before she picked up her thrush and found a place at the roots of a birch tree to leave it. She kicked a few pawfulls of dirt over the feathered carcass and continued toward the cliffs.

As she made her way across the territory, she let her mind wonder. She immediately thought of the leader of the Clan. For as far back as any cat could remember, leaders and deputy had been kin, the same blood line leading the Clan for seasons upon seasons. Even now, Thunderstar's eldest daughter, Ravinefall, was his deputy. She wished she herself could be leader. Or even any cat, like Dellsong or Gullypaw. Maybe then the Clan could be improved for the better. It wasn't that she didn't believe in Thunderstar, but he seemed so afraid not to live up to his father's legacy that he forced himself to do everything by himself, or with the unhelpful aid of his brother. Maybe Ravinefalll could do something. No offense to her father, but she seemed to have more of a head for leading. One could only hope, that is.

Reaching the sheer rock walls, she stopped to look up, again. This close, they seemed to touch the sky. It sent a chill down her spine. Again, the sound of prey taunted her not far away. She crouched and began to seek her kill.

* * *

The product of her labors was plentiful despite the cool leaf-fall morning. As she took her last catch, a squirrel, to her pile beneath the tree, Redpaw caught up to her.

"Hey!" she mumbled around a vole, "I had some luck at the creek. You?"

Asterpaw purred, "Caught a vole and this at the cliff and a thrush near the practice clearing." Redpaw pricked her ears.

"A thrush? I thought you were terrible at hunting birds. Nice job." she took a step closer to her sister for a moment, brushing her pelt against hers. "I can't wait to see what Duckpaw caught."

Asterpaw nodded, her jaw already tired from talking around her squirrel. They fell into silence as the retrieved their catches, first Asterpaw's thrush and vole and then Redpaw's trout and two mice. Duckpaw and Runningwillow were already in the clearing when they arrived.

"Well done, you two." the warrior praised. They set their kills down and dipped their heads thankfully. Duckpaw's catch made their eyes widen, amazed. The rabbit wasn't the impressive part, but the black adder. Its smooth dark body stood out at the paws of the pure white tom.

"Great StarClan, Duckpaw! I wish I was half the hunter you were! I'd die if I even glimpsed a live adder!" Redpaw gawked, giving the head a tentative swipe. Asterpaw's whiskers twitched. _Watch out, Redpaw, or it'll getcha._

The tom's ears lowered, embarassed. "It's not all that hard. I thought so, too, but you can hear everywhere a snake goes, because of its belly always rubbing the ground. It'd be even easier for a sighted cat." Runningwillow purred loudly and nearly knocked Duckpaw over as he swatted him playfully.

"Stop being so modest, 'paw! I'll tell you a secret: you've done better than any cat I've ever assessed." Duckpaw's obvious anxiety finally gave and he broke into a purr along with his mentor.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's tell Thunderstar the good news. Not to mention how well you two are coming along." the cream tom blinked warmly at them. "I'll help you carry all of this."

The three apprentices picked up what they could carry and the warrior took the rest, and together they sprinted back to camp.

* * *

"Where is Thunderstar?" Runningwillow called after setting down their fresh-kill at the pile. Duckpaw held proudly onto his adder.

Only the queens and elders remained in camp, along with Glenberry and Rivertail, who seemed to be helping the warrior with a new injury. However, the pretty younger she-cat leaped to her paws and sauntered over to her mate, rubbing her muzzle against his jaw.

"I'm guessing Duckpaw's assessment went well?" she flicked the apprentice's side with her tail. "Congratulations. Thunderstar went on the sun-high patrol, so he should be returning soon. In the meantime, Redpaw, Asterpaw, I'm sure the elders and queens wouldn't mind eating a bit early."

"Thank you, Glenberry. I can help feed the elders." Duckpaw replied.

"Nonsense. You'll be a warrior by moonrise. You should relax, and show off that snake. There's no shame in boasting a bit." the she-cat purred in laughter. "Runningwillow, may I speak to you a moment?"

The look in the blue tabby's eyes intrigued Asterpaw, but none the less she did as she was told and turned back to the fresh-kill pile with Redpaw. She picked up the rabbit and bounded across the camp to the nursery. Brindleflame lie on her side outside, her kits brawling a tail-length away. Longwhisker was just leaving the elder bush that made up their den.

"The rogues are attacking!" Stonekit crowed, his grey pelt ruffled by the breeze. Ravenkit leaped on him.

"That's right, Thunderstar! And you can't stop us, this time! Because I have nine lives, too!" he swiped at his brother's ears.

"I'm a rogue, too!" Creekkit squeaked, dashing towards his dark-furring siblings. Amberkit wrapped his forepaws around Creekkit's hind legs, catching him mid-bound.

"Well I'm deputy, and I say leave my leader alone!" he growled.

"Is that for us? Thank you, Asterpaw." the apprentice jumped at the sudden change in voices. Longwhisker gingerly took the rabbit from her and she dipped her head awkwardly. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Asterpaw saw a patrol arrive, a familiar grey and white figure in the lead. Two more patrols arrived just behind them, each cat laden with prey.

Redpaw dashed back from the medicine den and met up with Runningwillow and Duckpaw in front of their leader. Asterpaw took a few large strides across the camp and skidded to a stop beside her sister.

"Thunderstar," Runningwillow meowed, "I think you'll be pleased with what I have to say."

The leader looked distracted. "Hm? Oh, yes, how did Duckpaw's assessment go?" He sounded as if he hadn't listened at all to the senior warrior.

A bit taken aback, the cream tabby responded, "He did wonderfully. He caught a black adder."

"Wonderful. We can have the ceremony now, if you're ready." he purred.

"Well, I wanted to tell you about Asterpaw and Redpaw-"

"Yes, let me apologize for that. I'll take my apprentice out myself tomorrow. Thank you for taking them both into your own paws for the day."

"That's not what I meant, Thunderstar. I had a bit of time er-after Duckpaw's assessment to evaluate their own hunting skills, and I wanted you to know that together, they easily caught half of the fresh-kill pile today."

Asterpaw glanced at the pile. She realized Runningwillow wasn't exaggerating, much, if you counted Duckpaw's catch. She lifted her head a bit vainly.

"Well, well done, both of you. Maybe your own assessments will come a bit early. Keep up the good work." he dipped his head to the four of them and then slipped around them, leaping onto the trunk of the Elm tree and shimmying the rest of the length up onto the well-scored branch his predecessors perched on. His yowl echoed the well-recited words throughout the camp and the few cats not already in the clearing gathered beneath the tree. Quickly, Redpaw and Asterpaw dashed over to Sweetflower and sat on either side of her.

"ValleyClan, today we gather to welcome a new cat to our rank of fine warriors." the leader paused effectively. "Runningwillow, is your apprentice ready to receive the gift of our warrior ancestors and his new name?" The cream tom's face was lit with pride, and he nodded deeply. The leader leaped daringly from the bough of the Elm.

"I, Thunderstar, call upon my warriors ancestors to see this apprentice and give him your blessing to protect and defend his Clan with his life." the leader took a breath, "Duckpaw, do you promise to honor your ancestors, to follow the warrior code, and to care for your Clanmates weaker than you?"

His blue eyes shone as he asserted, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Duckpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Duckwing. StarClan honors your will and cleverness, and we welcome you as a _full_ warrior of ValleyClan." The leader bowed deeply to the white tom, his tail raised towards the stars. Duckwing reciprocated it and then raised his head high.

"Duckwing! Duckwing! Duckwing!" the Clan yowled, Rabbitleap, Gorgepaw, and Gullypaw cheering the loudest. Asterpaw simply purred, although she wondered why her mentor had emphasized the word full during the ceremony. Slowly, the calls died down and the Clan split into their usual groups.

"You know, he's the first white warrior in the Clan since your grandfather joined StarClan." Sweetflower murmured criptically, before getting to her paws and shuffling towards the other elders. Redpaw shrugged.

Recalling Runningwillow's words, Asterpaw touched Redpaw's shoulder with her tail and led her to the tabby tom. He sat beside his brother, Elderpelt, but he quickly stood and left at the arrival of the young she-cats.

"Greetings once again, 'paws. I wanted to talk to you about something." he nodded his head towards the ground, asking them to sit. "I know this moon has been tough on you. Your parents should've never acted so rashly-but I won't criticize them. They were loyal warriors. What I mean to say is-if you ever need something, you can come to me. It's not fair that you be deprived of extra assistance for something that had nothing to do with you." She and Redpaw exchanged a glance.

"Thank you, Runningwillow. We appreciate it. Kin seems to mean a lot in the Clan-unfortunately." Redpaw meowed. Asterpaw stared at the ground. At least her sister shared her thoughts.

"I'm glad I could help." he purred, sounding relieved.

"I'm going to go find Duckwing, if he can escape the praises of Gorgepaw and Gullypaw." the tom purred jokingly. He rose and crossed the clearing towards the young white warrior.

Redpaw sighed, exasperated. "Don't you wish you could go out on the Night of Lavish?" She flopped onto the ground on her belly. Asterpaw rolled her eyes playfully.

"All it is is hunting and acting like kits. We could do that any day."

"Yeah, not the night, though." Redpaw muttered.

"You don't know what goes on, you're in camp all night like the rest of us." Gorgepaw stopped beside the she-cats, looking down his nose at them. It didn't help that he was almost a whole head taller than Asterpaw. She hated being short. And it wasn't even that she was, but Redpaw had longer legs and Gorgepaw was moons older than they were.

"Whatever. Makes no difference to me. Have fun growling about it until you forget about it in two days." Asterpaw meowed muttered to herself and stood, walking to the apprentice den. She wasn't really all that upset about it, but she wasn't very fond of Gorgepaw. She slipped into the den and laid down in her nest. Duskpaw was already curled up.

"Tired of the good mood, too?" Duskpaw said, her quiet voice almost lost in the chatter from outside the den. Asterpaw took a moment to realize she was joking.

"Couldn't get near him?"

"Nope."

Asterpaw sighed along with Duskpaw. She and Redpaw were the only apprentices-now that Duckwing wasn't-who were decent friends with Duskpaw. And she was the only one to know she liked Duckwing.

"I'm sorry."

"S'okay. I can talk to him tomorrow. He'll understand."

"Unless he's caught up in the Night of Lavish." she hated to add. Duskpaw was quiet and Asterpaw hoped she'd fallen asleep. She stretched once, then curled up tighter. The chill of the night seeped into the empty den and she shivered a bit. Thankfully, her fur kept her somewhat warm and she fell asleep pretty easily. She woke somewhat when Redpaw came in, but she purred, appreciating the added warmth and the presence of the only lasting familiarity in her young life. Redpaw purred, too, and the whole world was drowned out by their proximity.


	4. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

* * *

"This is ridiculous!" a star-pelted tom stormed around a shaded pool. The tranquil forest surrounding stirred subtly as a gentle breeze passed through. The dark tabby swiped a white paw over the water and the warbled image of a forest clearing dissipated. He flicked his paw in passing, ridding it easily of the peculiar water. He flopped grumpily down in a patch of long grass with his ears low in frustration. A slim blue she-cat wove her way around the waterside and purred, brushing her cheek against the tom's head in an attempt to sooth him.

"Calm down, Cliffstar. He's only doing what he sees is best. You haven't given him any sign as what to do, what did you expect?"

"I expected my sons to be competent, capable cats. But I was mistaken." the tom growled darkly. His tail still flicked irritably. The she-cat frowned, her tail dropping.

"Don't speak like that. Strathfang is a talented medicine cat, and Thunderstar is doing what he has to do in troubled times-don't forget who taught him to lead!" she added sharply, her soft demeanor momentarily compromised. Cliffstar scoffed.

"Bah! He was weak when he was born. Both of 'em. Strathfang was too fearful to become a warrior, so he chose the second most cowardly way out and instead of becoming a kitty-pet, he chose healing. Thunderclaw was just lucky they were a small litter and we had no better kits."

The she-cat growled quietly and the tom fell silent, looking back at the pool. Suddenly he pricked his ears, focusing intently on the water as it quickly shimmered and then stilled, showing the fuzzy image of a cat. The she-cat grew silent, too, watching carefully. Gruesome images flashed across the surface, and it seemed a long time before either cat managed to speak.

"Is.. does that mean that… a prophecy?" the she-cat whispered. The tom nodded slowly.

"I believe so, Gorseflower." he murmured.

Gorseflower swallowed hard. "There hasn't been a prophecy since the birth of the Clan, correct?" Cliffstar nodded again.

"Only once, when Valley's ancestors and father Pike were the only cats to walk the forests of StarClan."

"What does this mean?"

"There will be a hardship in the Clan not seen in generations. And I fear it's weaknesses will be used to destroy it entirely…"

* * *

" _Cliffstar!_ " Thunderstar sat straight up from his slumber. His chest heaved all at once, his breathe lost and forcing him to gasp quickly, shallowly. He could feel his eyes straining-barely slits despite the darkness surrounding. His forepaws began to shake and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm himself. Longwhisker sat up beside him, having chosen to sleep in his den that night. He could practically feel the worry spilling from her plump body.

"Thunderstar, what's the matter?" she meowed, her soft voice anxious. He shook his head.

"I.. I dreamt that my father-" he shuttered, "That mouse-heart pinned me to the ground and spit in my face. He told me to go to the Star cave.. I don't know why he couldn't tell me what he needed to in this dream, though." he growled. Longwhisker drew her tongue over his shoulder.

"Your father… was a hard-headed tom. He probably just didn't want to have to explain all of it in the wrong place, the wrong time." the she-cat rationalized.

"Why are she-cats the only sensible ones?" her mate purred.

Her whiskers twitched. "There are plenty of sensible toms. Just none that are your kin." she teased.

Thunderstar opened his eyes and sighed, staring at the ground. His breathing was calmer and his body tamed. He shook his head and peered under the roots of the den to the camp outside, the before dawn sunlight barely turning the clearing a pale blue color.

"I guess now is no better than any to take a few of the apprentices to the Star cave. We ought to get ready, soon. Would you mind telling Ravinefall she's in charge while I'm gone?" he stood, stretching for a moment before flicking his mate with his tail playfully. She batted it good-humoredly.

"I _suppose_ not, my great leader. By the way, you ought to take Gorgepaw, Gullypaw, and Flamepaw to the Star cave. They still haven't gone and it won't be long before the older two are warriors." Thunderstar laid back his ears a second but nodded. He slipped out of the den and made straight for the medicine den. The long fronds of the ferns surrounding it caressed his spine as he passed. He found his brother in the midst of them, deeply asleep. He thwapped him on the head with a paw to wake him abruptly.

"Hmph!-wh-huh?" the black tom rolled over, his eyes squinting and opening and closing in the brightening light. "Um.. Thunderstar? What do you want so early?"

The leader waited impatiently as Strathfang slowly woke, sitting up and beginning to groom himself. His eyes still remained partly closed. The patched tom sat and wrapped his tail around his paws.

"I need travelling herbs for four cats."

"Four? What are you planning on doing?"

"I need to visit the Star cave… Cliffstar visited me in a dream and told me so."

"StarClan, will he ever stop haunting us? Surely there are other cats in the sky who can bother us just as much."

"This is serious, Strathfang. The Clan could be in jeopardy."

"Whatever you say. I'll get the herbs ready. You.. go wake whomever I'm making these up for." Strathfang stood and disappeared in the clumps of ferns. Thunderstar stood and left the clustered plants, walking towards the warriors' den. He poked his head through the brittle tendrils of bramble and looked around. It was much gloomier inside, but he could still identify the pelts of his loyal cats. He picked his way past the few warriors in his way and stopped beside the smoke and fire pelt of a young she-cat.

"Dellsong." he nudged her softly with his muzzle. She said something incomprehensible, prying her eyes open.

"Thunderstar? What is it?" she whispered. She sat up and pricked her ears politely.

"I need you to accompany me to the Star cave. It's important." she nodded silently and followed him carefully back out of the den.

"Is there something I should be aware of?" she asked tentatively. He shook his head quickly.

"It's nothing to be concerned about. Just something I've been asked to. I have to go wake a few of the apprentices to accompany us and we can go. Strathfang has travelling herbs ready for you."

Before she could reply, he brushed past her towards the tall grass beside the warriors' den. He nosed his way through the entrance to the apprentices' den and found the three he was looking for quickly. They were all closer to the entrance and he let out a quiet meow to wake them. Flamepaw was on his feet quickly, shaking his fur of the scraps of his nest. Gullypaw rolled into Gorgepaw before she sat up, yawning. Her brother sat up after she got off of his back.

"Gorgepaw, Gullypaw, Flamepaw, I'm taking you all to the Star cave today. I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you last night-and I'm sorry you went on the dusk patrol, Gullypaw." he added to the still yawning she-cat. "But it's a surprise to me as well. Strathfang has travelling herbs ready for you in the medicine den. I'll meet you there in a few moments."

He waited for all three groggy young cats to nod before ducking back out. He loped towards the nursery, just catching the tip of a silver tail disappearing into the depths. He slipped in just behind. Longwhisker turned in the gloom, surprised. He purred, placing a lick on her forehead.

"I thought you were in a hurry?" she purred in confusion; he met her eyes.

"I know, I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the most wonderful she-cat in my Clan."

"Don't say that.." she growled quietly, but she closed her eyes slowly in gratitude. He looked down at her plump sides for a moment.

"Don't have the kits without me, will you?" he asked quietly. She tilted her head.

"What do you mean? They're not due for a few more days.." she purred reassuringly; her mate just shook his head.

"Just that-if you do.. nevermind. What StarClan wills, we cannot change. Just be safe, will you? Promise me you won't leave camp until they arrive?" he begged, fear scent crowding the den.

"I'll try." she sighed. "Now go, before your father claws you from beyond the stars." she licked his ear and nudged him out the way he came.

He cast one glance back before looking towards the camp entrance. Dellsong and her son sat side by side, awaiting their leader, while Gullypaw and Gorgepaw entertained themselves with a mock fight a few paces aside. He dipped his head and silently the four cats stood and they left. Their pawsteps thrummed evenly on the damp soil, throwing dew into the air and onto their pelts as they kept a steady pace. Quickly, the tabby and white tom veered left and led the patrol towards the stream near the camp. They slowed down, following the stream down a ways until they reached the shallow spit. Here, they were able to cross while only wetting their paws.

" _Mrr!_ Is this water _cold!_ " Gullypaw gasped. "Leaf-bare must be coming early.." the fur along her spine and tail fluffed up in emphasis. Gorgepaw lifted a paw and flicked water at her.

"S-stop your whining." he said through chattering teeth. Flamepaw just snickered as he bounded past them, sending small plooms of water drops onto his denmates. Thunderstar barely stifled a loud purr, watching the apprentices. Dellsong was less amused, and nipped her kit's tail tip.

"Keep up the pace, 'paws. It's a longer journey than you might think. We need to keep ahead of the sun."

* * *

By sunhigh they had left the safety of the trees and it wasn't too much longer before they arrived. Dellsong kept up the rear as the apprentices drug their paws in exhaustion, led by their persistent leader. A rise in the moor ahead showed the mouth of the Star cave not far off.

"Thank StarClan! I thought we'd never get here." Gullypaw sighed in relief. Thunderstar rolled his eyes, whiskers twitching. _I wish I had more time like this.. to spend with the young cats._ He thought. _Maybe then I wouldn't have so many disloyal warriors._ He sighed, tossing the idea away immediately and stopped a few fox-lengths from the cave mouth. He turned to the quizzical apprentices.

"We have some time before we need to enter the cave, so it'd be best for you to hunt and rest while we have the time." he advised. Gullypaw flopped down under some heather while the two toms and Dellsong headed away to hunt. Thunderstar turned in the opposite direction the trio had gone and tried his luck among a group of scraggly trees. He paused in the long shadow of the tallest of them, parting his jaws to scent the air. His ears turned to hear the faint, tiny scrabbles of a mouse in the leaf mold. He drew himself into a crouch. The scrabbling continued. Thunderstar drew himself forward. Scrabble. Step. Scrabble. Step. Now the tom was just two tail-lengths away, enough to leap, and… the scrabbling stopped. A spike of fear that the mouse had heard him struck him and he threw himself toward its hiding spot. A terrible squeal from the leaves told him the mouse was suffering under his paws. He ducked his head and nudged the leaves off of the mouse, crunching down on its neck. The squealing stopped.

 _I don't know how you ever convinced me you deserved your warrior name._ As he lifted his head, the mouse in his jaws, Thunderstar swore he heard his father's mew in his head. He couldn't remember Cliffstar ever saying it, although he criticised his sons so often Thunderstar wouldn't have doubted if it had been one of the many less memorable ones. The leader sighed in worry. He knew he wasn't a young warrior anymore, but he never imagined being a leader would make him feel so old.

He turned back towards the Star cave and sat down with his Clanmates. Gullypaw must have gone hunting after all, now munching on a plump vole. Flamepaw and Gorgepaw shared a squirrel but Dellsong had no prey at all. Thunderstar stopped in front of her and dropped his mouse at her paws.

"No luck hunting?" he queried, surprised. The she-cat was usually a flawless hunter. Dellsong looked down at his paws.

"Well, um.. I would've caught a blackbird, but something startled it.." Thunderstar looked away, his skin growing hot under his fur. He purred nervously.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Er, you can have my mouse. This whole business has my belly in knots, anyways." he sat a few paces away from the other cats, frazzled. He'd felt off all day. But for now he was content to blame it on his lack of sleep and fresh-kill. Absently, he began to groom himself. The rhythmic moving of his tongue over his fur helped calm him somewhat. High above, the ValleyClan leader could see the sun waning to the setting side of the sky. He hauled himself to his paws and stretched.

"I think it's about time I entered the cave. Gullypaw, Gorgepaw, please keep watch at the mouth of the cave. Flamepaw, you can accompany me and your mother inside." Gullypaw gaped, jealous, but nodded along with Gorgepaw. Flamepaw's emerald eyes widened in awe. Thunderstar blinked warmly at him and the small tom bounded excitedly towards the cave mouth. The eager rubiginous apprentice reminded him of his own apprentice. He'd really have to make these past few days up to her. He had to be a better mentor. She deserved it, especially after losing her parents. _I'd hate to see her follow in Red and Emberpelt's pawsteps._

Dellsong flicked his shoulder with her tail, reminding him that he had a job to do. He loped just behind the warrior, catching up to Flamepaw at the entrance. He led the apprentice and she-cat into the cave, taking no time to adjust himself. A short, wide tunnel led steadily downwards, a steady dribble of water covering the floor as soon as they entered. Flamepaw's breathing grew louder, his fear scent growing.

"It'll be lighter in a moment, Flamepaw." Thunderstar said softly, feeling wrong disturbing the quiet. As he promised, just a moment later the tunnel widened into a low-ceiling cave. The trickle of water fell into a wide pool, taking up almost the entire cave. Thunderstar flicked his tail to the wall of the cave, the one place where it was dry.

"Wait there, if you would, you two." he murmured, and approached the water. He heard the soft pawsteps of the pair as they obeyed. He crouched by the water, overcome with nostalgia as he recalled when he came here to receive his nine lives. He lapped for a long moment, drinking as much as he could. He felt a pleasant cool feeling settle in his stomach and he laid back against the cold stone. As he lowered his head onto his outstretched forepaw, he drifted almost immediately into unconsciousness.

* * *

Light flashed before Thunderstar's eyes. Cries of pain and fear and attack roared in his ears. What frightened him most were the young voices uttering them. He knew them. He vaguely felt his sleeping body flinch in shock as he saw a wave of blood fly at him. As he thought to turn, he heard a cry of pain and fear, again. _Duskpaw!_ A slope full of rocks rose before him, streams of red water running between the cracks. The cry echoed from above the impenetrable stacks of stone. He launched himself up before he could have the chance to doubt himself. Despite the slippery substance he scrambled up and up, the wall growing taller and taller, steeper, until it was a sheer cliff like the ones that surrounded their territory. A cry of battle echoed off of the walls around him.

"Ravinefall!" he yowled desperately. His daughter didn't reply. He turned his back to the wall, staring around, when a flash of orange streaked past him, fear scent saturating the air. All at once, his chaotic surroundings fell away and he was left in the quiet territory of StarClan. A soft voice echoed off the trees around him. He strained his ears, trying to understand the words. Seemingly in slow motion, his father stepped out of the undergrowth in front of Thunderstar, and the whispers screamed in his ears.

 _The rocks will be red, and peace will be long in coming._

* * *

Thunderstar shot to paws with a gasp. He stared around the cave, his pupils dilated in fear. Flamepaw crouched in the corner, his fur raised. Dellsong was even frightened, half-crouched above her son, as if protecting him from something. But the otherwise, the cave was as cool and peaceful as it had been before. The light filtering in was now blue with moonlight, some time having past. The grey and white tom stood on shaking legs.

"I… it's okay.. We just need to return to the Clan as soon as possible." he gasped as calmly as he could. He loped unsteadily up the tunnel and into the slight light beyond the mouth. He swiveled his ears to confirm that his Clanmates followed him. As they left the stone cavern, Gorgepaw and Gullypaw sat up with a start, half asleep. They stumbled to their paws, exchanging yawns. Their leader didn't bother to speak again as he continued at a brisk pace. Dellsong kept pace beside him.

"Thunderstar, we need to rest. The apprentices are exhausted, I can't imagine they'll make it all the way back to camp." she mewed worriedly. He sighed, but shook his head vigorously.

"No, we can't waste any time. I know they're very tired, but they're strong cats, they can make it to camp. Then, they can sleep for a quarter moon for all I care. It's just that, my dream.."

Although Dellsong was still unhappy, she seemed to understand, and fell back to keep up the rear. Almost inaudibly, the apprentices grumbled and scoffed and whined unhappily. He was relieved that they didn't challenge his decision. Maybe the prophecy was wrong, or at least under exaggerated. Perhaps peace was on the rise in his Clan. Maybe he could be a leader worthy of succeeding his father.


	5. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Asterpaw was briefly conscious as a low voice sounded in the apprentices' den. Not recognizing her or her sister's name, she drifted easily back to sleep. It was a little while longer before another cat entered, this time nudging the ginger siblings awake. Asterpaw grumbled as he lifted her head, her eyes squinting in the bright light falling just through the grass stems onto her face.

"Asterpaw, Redpaw, you're going on Dawn patrol with Valestorm, Duskpaw, and Elderpelt. Thunderstar had to leave unexpectedly so everyone's running a bit late, and you don't have a mentor today, Asterpaw." the apprentice's eyes barely recognized Ravinefall's face before she ducked back out of the den. She sniffed disdainfully. Redpaw rolled out of her twisted sleeping position, yawning. Asterpaw's whiskers twitched.

"C'mon, we need to get going. Duskpaw's probably already ready, and if she's anything like her mentor, we'll be the last ones prepared." Asterpaw hopped past the brittle fronds of the entrance and Redpaw quickly followed. They each gave their own pelts a few quick licks to smooth their fur before bounding across the clearing to the camp entrance. As they'd guessed, Valestorm, Elderpelt, and his apprentice were all already waiting.

"Are we ready, now?" Valestorm asked. Surprisingly, there was no irritation in her tone. Everyone really must be running late. How strange. The apprentices nodded and Valestorm turned to lead the way. They slipped quickly through the entrance and made straight for the far border. Redpaw ran a few pawsteps ahead on Asterpaw's right side, as they routinely did. Duskpaw ran in the back, and her mentor insisted on sticking as close to her as possible, although the path did not always permit it. Every time he was forced away the pointed she-cat seemed to relax a bit, and as soon as he came back so did her weary demeanour. _I'll ask her later._ Asterpaw noted silently.

Valestorm slowed the pace, eventually drawing them to a halt. They barely arrived at the base of the cliff. From here, their borders led away from the rock walls. The black and white she-cat turned away from the cliff and back towards the rest of the patrol. She looked to her own apprentice.

"Redpaw, can you scent anything strange?" she prompted. Redpaw opened her mouth and drew in a slow, deep breath. She looked up thoughtfully.

"Some herbs, here and there.. cat, of course.. and rabbit!" she pricked her ears but Valestorm batted her ear gently.

"Very good. Unfortunately, we're already late as it is. We've no time to hunt, now." Redpaw and Asterpaw sighed. Rushing, as they had, they hadn't had the time to eat yet. Valestorm hurried them on, stopping here and there for one of the cats to mark the border. After a while, Elderpelt stopped where he was.

"Valestorm, do you mind if Duskpaw and I leave the patrol early? I just remembered there were a few battle moves Duskpaw hadn't perfected yesterday and I'd like to get them out of the way before I give her another proper lesson." he queried. The she-cat tilted her head, a bit confused, but dipped her head.

"I suppose. I can't see why it couldn't wait, though."

"Yes, can't we practice another time?" Duskpaw chipped in quickly. She looked hopefully up at Valestorm.

"No, do what your mentor says, Duskpaw. There will be plenty of patrols left for you, yet." Valestorm purred. Yet the small she-cat did not seem reassured. She lowered her eyes to the ground and padded away towards the practice clearing. Elderpelt followed her, his tail confidently high. Redpaw brushed Asterpaw's side with her tail.

"Why do you think Duskpaw hates battle training so much?" she asked. Asterpaw shrugged.

"I heard Covetail had trouble with it, too. Maybe kitty-pet blood dulls their fighting instinct?" she guessed.

"Now don't be like that." Valestorm growled softly. "You two are half tame cat yourself, how can you say that? Not to mention Rabbitleap was once a kitty-pet. You both must've heard this story by now." Asterpaw was about to speak again, but Valestorm persisted. "Rabbitleap, Duskpaw, and Covetail escaped a kitty-pet prison and came to our Clan in hopes of starting a new life. They've all worked very hard to be accepted here, so that their kits-cats like you-can be accepted just like any Clan-born cat. I don't want to hear this silly rumor, again. And if you hear any of the other apprentices spreading it around, remind them that it's silly lies."

The sisters locked eyes, a bit ticked, but nodded.

"Right, now let's finish patrolling and maybe then we can catch a few fat rabbits for a proper meal." Valestorm purred, lightening up. They continued to mark the border and check the scents surrounding for quite awhile without bothering with chatter.

Then suddenly, a small ruckus began, first far away, then growing closer. As the wind began to pick up, it blew the scent of a cat towards the patrol. Asterpaw took a moment to recognize it, having associated it with three other scents until now.

"Creekkit!" Valestorm called before Asterpaw could. "What are you doing out here?"

The little tom's eyes were wide with fear as he bounded over tree roots and tendrils of foliage. He skidded to a halt, his breath coming fast in his small chest.

"There were no apprentices in camp-" breathe, "Rivertail sent me. She needs-needs Juniper berries and lamb's ear.-Longwhisker's having her kits." he meowed breathlessly. Almost instantly, Valestorm was wreathed in fear scent. Her own breathing quickened, and Asterpaw started to worry, too.

"Okay, er-Asterpaw and Redpaw, those herbs you scented, near the cliffs. There should be soft small leaves in patches in the grass. That's lamb's ear. Get as much of that as you can and bring it back to camp with you as fast as you can. Creekkit, you come with me. Juniper grows nearer the camp, I think."

Before the apprentices could get a word in, Valestorm grabbed the kit by his scruff and leaped towards the camp. The sisters exchanged a look before making their way back along the border. As their strides lengthened, the rhythm of their pawsteps fell together and they kept pace.

"What could have gone wrong?" Asterpaw gasped out. Redpaw flicked an ear in place of a shrug.

"StarClan if I know. I'm no medicine cat-" she took a breath, "but I can't help but feel this is-something like fate. Whatever's happening. It's meant to be whatever way it's headed. I just hope-" she sighed, "I just hope it's a good way."

Asterpaw remained silent, worried now. Redpaw seemed to know more than she ever would. She glanced up at her sister, only half a paw taller. Her bright yellow eyes were trained ahead of her, searching for the cliff face. Swallowing, she wished she were as confident as Redpaw. She was glad to have her of all the apprentices be her littermate. She hated to think it, but with what may become of the Clan, she at least knew she would always have Redpaw by her side. She took a deep breath and focused on her task: _lamb's ear._ As the cliff approached, they slowed down. Redpaw nosed among the foliage and quickly found a small patch of the leaves. She wrapped her muzzle around the fragile stems and pulled them carefully from the soil. Asterpaw brushed fronds of bracken and bramble away to uncover another patch of soft leaves. This one was almost as big as her mouth. She Wrapped her jaws around the leaves and bit them off, holding the mouthful carefully. As she met up with Redpaw, she saw her sister's bunch more closely. The leaves she had seemed a bit different. Asterpaw flattened her ears.

"Redpaw, I don't think these are the same herbs.." she murmured uncertainly. The ginger tabby nodded slowly.

"I don't think so, either. I don't know what's lamb's ear, though, so maybe it's better this way? If we each take a mouthful of each, Rivertail will have plenty of the herb she needs, and extra for her stock of another." she reasoned. Asterpaw flicked her littermate's side appreciatively, reassured. The pair then secured their bundles between their teeth and dashed towards the camp.

As they ducked through the heather tunnel, they came into a camp very different from the one they had left at dawn. Ravinefall was organizing warriors, although most had to be reminded again what they were doing. They were too distracted by the occasional feeble cries from the nursery to remember. No apprentices could be seen, although Elderpelt sat with a vole and the rest of his kits playing around him, looking rather uninterested. _What about Duskpaw's training?_ Asterpaw thought fleetingly. It was thrown aside as Strathfang slipped from the nursery and sped towards them.

"Thank StarClan!-Hm? Drop those for a moment, they look funny-Redpaw, that's feltwort, not lamb's ear. Oh well, this may be enough. Thank you." the black tom dipped his head and carried the lamb's ear back to the nursery. Redpaw's ears sagged, disappointed. Asterpaw pressed against her flank.

"I'm already worn out. Want to eat something and get some sleep?" Redpaw offered. Asterpaw nodded and walked slowly, tiredly towards the fresh-kill pile. She nudged through the pile, but everything seemed too big for her to stomach, now. All the running and anxiety had made her belly ache. Redpaw pulled a squirrel from the pile with her paw.

"Want to just share this? I'm not so hungry, either." again, Asterpaw nodded and they trudged back across the clearing and entered the apprentices' den. Surprisingly, Duskpaw was curled up in her nest, near the back of the den. Her face was turned down but her eyes were not closed.

"Hi, Duskpaw." Redpaw meowed, trying to sound cheery. She plopped down in her own nest not far from the dark-faced apprentice with the squirrel at her paws. Asterpaw laid down beside her. Duskpaw didn't say a word. Redpaw shrugged and munched on the squirrel. For a few moments, the only sound was the crunch of the squirrel's bones in their teeth.

"I thought you were out hunting with Elderpelt?" Redpaw asked. Duskpaw looked farther away.

"I did really bad.. He's punishing me by making me stay in camp for two days." she muttered, almost inaudibly. Redpaw purred.

"That's not much of a punishment to me. You can sleep all you want and play with kits all day!" Duskpaw shook her head vigorously.

"It's not that simple. I wish I was out training, tomorrow. I wish I had a different mentor.." she growled softly. Redpaw tilted her head.

"Couldn't you ask Thunderstar for a new one? It's not unheard of. I'm sure-"

"No." she interrupted. "It's too late, now. I can make it-there are only so many moons before an apprentice is a warrior." she whispered. "I'm tired.. I'm going to sleep, now."

Redpaw and Asterpaw exchanged a look, confused. It was only just past sun-high. They finished their squirrel and went to bury it outside.

Valestorm stopped them just outside the den. She'd calmed down considerably.

"Thank you two for helping collect the herbs. I apologize, I let myself get worked up. Although-er, nevermind. If you can help it, stay away from the nursery, for now. Longwhisker isn't doing well.. but, if you want to see her kits they're staying in the nursery with Brindleflame and her kits."

Redpaw purred, "No problem. We'll do both." Asterpaw nodded happily, unable to speak with the bones in her mouth.

"Thank you, again. You two will be wonderful warriors, you know that?" Valestorm blinked warmly at them before walking away to greet her mate. The pair buried the bones of the squirrel before entering the elders' den.

Sweetflower and Aspenstripe were huddled together at the back of the den, grooming each other and talking quietly about cats they used to know. Dalefeather was nowhere to be seen, though his scent still lingered in the den. Brindleflame's kits had migrated into the den, play-fighting as always. Their mother lay on the opposite side of the den, and three tiny bodies squirmed at her belly. Glancing at one another, Redpaw and Asterpaw slipped into the den and crouched before Brindleflame. The smallest kit was a silver tabby with thick black stripes like its mother. The next looked just like it, but somewhat bigger. The last kit was a startling dark brown tabby. It looked a lot like Ravinefall.

"What are their names? Are they boys or girls?" Redpaw asked, her eyes wide. Asterpaw's whiskers twitched; Redpaw had told her before, and it was obvious now, that she wanted kits of her own. Her sister doubted she even cared who her mate was.

Brindleflame was barely audible as she replied. "Well, they don't have names, yet. Longwhisker didn't want to name them without Thunderstar. But the little silver tabby is a she-kit and the other two are toms." Redpaw nodded slowly, watching the tiny squirming kits. Asterpaw stifled a yawn. The kits were very cute, but she could only stare at them so long before it got boring. She pressed her nose against her sister's fur.

"I can't keep my eyes open. I'm going back to the den."

"Oh, okay… I'll go with you." Redpaw responded, her eyes never leaving the kits. For a moment she didn't move at all, and Asterpaw was about to prod her, before she stretched and stood. She blinked happily at her sister.

The pair made their way across camp without being confronted again and curled up close together in the apprentices' den. Asterpaw was almost asleep when Redpaw's voice cut into the silence.

"Do you ever want to have kits?" she asked quietly. Asterpaw half-opened her eyes.

"I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, if I'm honest.." she met Redpaw's eyes.

"You can tell me anything." she meowed.

"Well if I could, I'd give up having kits to try and be deputy someday. I want to help the Clan.. and Ravinefall is so cool. But I guess there are other ways to help the Clan. Maybe I'll be a medicine cat and help that way."

Redpaw licked her ear. "Things don't have to be that way. You can change that. You're amazing. If any cat could, it's you." Asterpaw purred.

"Well I changed up the subject, quickly. I can do that." she joked with a purr. "I know you want to have kits. Why'd you ask?"

Redpaw lowered her ears, embarrassed. "Er… I was thinking of names earlier. It's something to think about when Valestorm drones on like a bee." she joked.

Asterpaw yawned, "What names do you like?" she asked, humoring her sister.

"I've thought about a lot of them but I've never found a lot that I like. There's just one that's stuck in my head: Gorsekit."

"I like it." Asterpaw said. She closed her eyes and wrapped her tail around her body up to her nose.

"How must Duskpaw feel, without any siblings her age? How must Duckwing feel?" Redpaw murmured.

Asterpaw opened one eye for a moment, then closed it again. "I wouldn't know. I mean.. I've always had you. And we're not even normal siblings in the first place, right? Emberpelt and Red haven't been around for a few moons. And I think it's right to say that most of the other cats let us get away with sticking together more."

Redpaw was silent again for a moment. "I'm glad I have you, Asterpaw."


	6. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Asterpaw rolled onto her back, stretching. She half woke up, but didn't bother to open her eyes. She felt minutely bad about lazing around when she could be helping the Clan, but not enough to move. Redpaw growled quietly in protest as she moved, pressing against her again. She batted her sister's ear half-heartedly.

"Redpaw?" A deep voice said. Asterpaw peeled her eyes open. A dark blurry shape peered through the den's entrance. She blinked a few times and her eyes focused, recognizing the shape of a stocky brown tabby tom. Redpaw rolled onto her side, yawning. The tom's whiskers twitched slightly.

"Asterpaw, since Thunderstar isn't here, you can join us. Valestorm wants me to help with battle training this afternoon." he replied.

"Sure, I'd love to, Hollowfoot." Redpaw sat up and began grooming her fur and Asterpaw simply nodded.

"Have you seen Duskpaw? I'm sure she could use some help-er, not that she's a bad fighter." Hollowfoot added quickly. He looked down, embarrassed.

"She's confined to camp for two days. I don't know where she is, either." Redpaw stated, glancing around the den in case the pointed she-cat was disguised in the shadows. "Ready, Asterpaw?" Her sister flicked her with her tail.

"As ready as you." she growled competitively. The young warrior backed out of the den and the two apprentices followed. Asterpaw glanced around camp. "I'm guessing Thunderstar isn't back yet?" she asked doubtfully.

"No, and he won't be until late tomorrow. Unfortunately, it's a far journey to the Star cave. That's why I'm joining you, otherwise I'd be out training with Flamepaw." Hollowfoot explained.

"Well, this way I can really prove I'm a better fighter than Asterpaw." Redpaw snickered. Valestorm came into earshot and scoffed out loud at her apprentice.

"Don't boast too soon, 'paw. You're quite the slacker during our sessions." Redpaw's eyes dropped and she gave her chest fur a few licks, not saying anything. "Right. Let's get to the practice clearing, then."

As one, the four of them turned towards the camp entrance and left. Taking up a steady pace, the warriors fell into leading the patrol, the apprentices just behind. Asterpaw met Redpaw step for step as they streamed towards their destination.

"Do you think Duskpaw snuck out of camp?" Redpaw whispered. She kept her eyes well-trained on the cats ahead, making sure they couldn't hear her.

"I can't imagine why she would. She usually does what she's supposed to." Asterpaw meowed quietly. Redpaw nodded.

"I guess she could be taking care of the elders, or playing with the kits." she offered, and dropped the subject. The warriors slowed to a stop and turned, standing in front of the large log in the center of the clearing.

"Asterpaw, you can train with Hollowfoot for the beginning of the session. After we've reviewed some moves, the pair of you can compare your skills. And after that, we can learn some new things and all of that." Valestorm stated, and immediately turned to her apprentice.

"Lucky." Redpaw murmured under her breath, shortly before stepping up to her mentor. Asterpaw flicked her ear, dismissing her comment, before following Hollowfoot to the other side of the fallen tree. He walked along the length of the trunk and to the other side, but the ginger-patched she-cat just scrambled over the top and dropped down on the other side. The tabby tom sat on the other side of the clearing and faced her.

"Alright; show me what you know. Come at me." he said, blinking once.

Asterpaw planted all four paws on the ground and distributed her weight evenly, instinctively drawing her tail close and lowering her head. Hollowfoot watched her every movement, seeming to scrutinize it without a word. The fur along her spine rose a bit, unnerved, but she forced it down and kept her claws sheathed. Studying his own posture, she saw his front paws had little weight placed on them. He was ready to leap back, to then fall on top of her. Making up her mind, she acted.

She prepared to leap, letting her hindquarters sway before tensing her legs and throwing herself forward. As she suspected, the brown tom reared back on his hind legs, his front legs outstretched to faux-claw her. As he rose, she crashed into his chest, head-first. The air was knocked out of them both, and Asterpaw struggled to regain strength enough to react. Hollowfoot took advantage of her slower recovery, and drew his rear legs under her, flinging her off. She leaped to her feet and was ready to charge him again, when he waved his tail to call her off.

"Asterpaw, you can't think only one step ahead and then expect to win a fight on sheer luck afterwards. Thunderstar must have taught you better than that." Hollowfoot scolded. Asterpaw flattened her ears and didn't speak. The warrior's eyes widened and he realized that in fact he hadn't taught her better. "Erm-maybe you shouldn't practice with Redpaw just yet."

Asterpaw leaped to her feet. "No! I can do it, just teach me a few things! I'm just as good as any apprentice!" she begged. Then she realized Redpaw and her mentor might be able to hear her, and she bit her tongue. The older cat met her soft green eyes and was silent for a long moment.

"What all have you learned?" he asked calmly. Asterpaw thought back to her training sessions with the leader.

"I've learned not to rush into a fight, and to always interpret my enemy's moves." she paused.

"And..?" Hollowfoot asked, seeming a bit worried. Psh, of course she'd learned more than that by now.

"I've learned basic dodging and counterattacks, and some striking techniques-Oh! And a few things about applying hunting techniques to battle, but I mostly taught myself that." Asterpaw purred, somewhat defensive but mostly proud. The tom didn't move for a moment, only staring at her. Finally he did speak, snapping back to life.

"I don't think you're too far behind, then. Come at me again, but this time _really_ think about what I'm going to do." Asterpaw nodded vigorously, watching the tom sit down again. This time, his full weight was on his paws. If she jumped at him like last time, he'd likely duck, and if she jumped at his belly, he would probably still be able to hop back in time. She glanced at his tail, sticking straight out behind him. Sure of his next move, she leaped again.

This time, Hollowfoot ducked and the she-cat flew just above his back. She landed just behind him, pricking his tail with her claws. Hollowfoot yowled and whirled on her, his tail drawn nearer his body, now. Smirking, she swiped his face with her paw before he could see her clearly. The strike made him stumble a second, long enough for Asterpaw swipe one leg from under him and make him fall forward. His jaw clamped around her leg as she lifted it to run behind him, and she fell awkwardly to the side before he let her go.

"Much better." the tom spluttered, dirt flying in his face. He untangled his paws and sat up. "You could say you did well with unconventional fighting moves. You're still not thinking of every outcome, but that can come later. With some proper training, you'll be as good a fighter as any cat. Remind me, and I'll talk to Thunderstar about it, alright?" Asterpaw dipped her head. "Right then. Think you're ready to take on Redpaw? I heard she's got quite the talent for quarrels."

Asterpaw scoffed arrogantly. "I can beat Redpaw in anything!"

"Think so? Then you better come over to the bigger side of the clearing and prove it." Valestorm mewed from the top of the log. Asterpaw fluffed up her fur, determined, and scrambled over the log. Hollowfoot hopped up and sat beside the older warrior. Redpaw paced on the other side of the clearing, her tail flicking impatiently. It must not have taken her as long to warm up, but Asterpaw refused to be intimidated. She planted her paws firmly in the soft ground across from her sister, who did the same.

"Ready?" Valestorm yowled.

"Ready!" Redpaw called.

"Ready!" Asterpaw growled.

"Begin!" Immediately, Asterpaw rushed the rusty tabby, hoping to surprise her; but Redpaw stepped just out of the way, and her sister skidded to a hault beside her. She gave Asterpaw a few good swipes over the shoulder before turning to her back and jumping on top of her. Asterpaw writhed underneath her greater weight, desperate. _Think ahead!_ she thought, scolding herself. Thankfully, Redpaw slipped to one side and Asterpaw managed to wriggle free. Before she was liberated, jaws clamped on her tail and she yelped. She spun around-avoiding placing her paws close to her sister's-and batted her muzzle.

Redpaw let go of her tail, sneezing from the tickle of Asterpaw's fur over her nose. Her sister took the opportunity to bowl her over batter her ears with strikes. She failed to pin Redpaw's hind legs and she kicked her, throwing her off of her and over her head. The tabby rolled over, onto her paws and pulled the same move on her stunned sister, this time pinning her legs to one side. She wrapped her jaws carefully over Asterpaw's exposed neck in a faux-choking bite.

"Give up?" she whispered, her breathe stirring the fur beneath her jaws.

"Never!" Asterpaw growled. Surprising Redpaw, she wrenched her front paw from underneath Redpaw's and slashed her side, her claws unwittingly extended. Redpaw leaped back, and as she did Asterpaw caught a glance of red drop springing into the air from her sister's flank to her claws.

"Asterpaw!" both warriors exclaimed. Valestorm leaped down, running to Redpaw. She sat, slightly hunched, her thin chest heaving. Small rivets of wet fur parted her otherwise routinely striped pelt. Her mentor closely inspected the scratchs.

"You'll be fine, but you may need a healing poultice for those. Come on, we ought to be heading back to camp, anyways." Valestorm stated, glancing at the sky. The sun was well behind the clifftops, the sky growing dark and bloodred. The black-and-white she-cat nudged her apprentice, and Redpaw got to her paws. She seemed perfectly fine, walking back along the path to the camp. Asterpaw stood up more slowly, keeping her eyes down.

"Theres no need to be upset, Asterpaw." Hollowfoot stopped beside her, looking her in the eyes even as she refused to.

"I panicked. I hurt Redpaw." she murmured. The tom looked at the sky, beginning to fill with stars.

"We're all only so talented, you know. Some cats are great fighters; some are great hunters; few are great healers, and some are great at things that can't even be taught to other cats. But no cat is great at all things, and no cat is perfect. You are not a perfect fighter, and you shouldn't be. You're just a 'paw, and it's only natural that sometimes you fail at what you try. But you can learn from it, and learn to be a better cat." Asterpaw blinked.

"How do you know things like that?" she asked, awed. Hollowfoot purred.

"StarClan are great teachers to all cats, not just leaders and healers. One of the things they've taught me is that we do not know everything, and that it's fine this way." he explained.

"Why aren't you deputy if you're so smart?" to which he shook his head.

"Trust me, Ravinefall makes a much better one than me. She's older and even wiser than I am. I'm meant to be a warrior. Nothing more and nothing less." Asterpaw was still mistified, but just shook her head as if she understood. "We're getting left behind, and it's almost moonrise. Let's get back to camp."

Asterpaw nodded again and they ran to catch up with Redpaw and Valestorm. They weren't far behind and caught up easily. They fell into step walking with the other two cats, warriors in front and apprentices in back, again.

"I'm so sorry." Asterpaw whispered, still feeling wretched. She flinched as her sister licked her cheek.

"It's nothing. Just some battle scars." Redpaw joked. She walked close enough that their pelts brushed.

"It's not nothing. I hurt you, and you're the last cat I'd ever want to hurt." the other apprentice insisted.

"It's my fault, really. I should've gone easier on you. Afterall, I'm a much better fighter than you!" Redpaw struggled to keep her voice down.

"I'm just as good as you, if not better!" Asterpaw huffed in defense of herself. Redpaw blatently laughed.

"Whatever you say, _little sister_!"

"I'll give you a real clawing, you call me that again!" Asterpaw teased. Redpaw flicked her side with her tail, accepting her apology, and Asterpaw finally felt better. She took a deep breath and let it out just as they reached the camp.

The remainder of the day they spent playing with Brindleflame's kits and listening to the elders' tales. When they did return to the apprentices' den, Duskpaw was already curled up and asleep. They didn't want to bother her so they curled up together and fell asleep like the did after every day of warrior training.


	7. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

* * *

The songs of birds gave Asterpaw a pleasant awakening the day after their battle training. She opened her eyes to see the sky outside of the den bright already. Over her shoulder, she saw Duskpaw was still asleep as well, snoring a bit. Asterpaw was happy she was at least taking her punishment easy. She pushed Redpaw away from her and sat up, blinking. It was late in the morning, yet no one had come to take them hunting or on a patrol. They must have the day off. As much as she hated to spoil it by waking up, she might as well. She nudged Redpaw until she woke up.

".. No training today huh?" she asked, squinting her eyes and sitting up.

"Guess not." Asterpaw replied between licks across her chest. Redpaw let her head drop to the soft moss-covered floor of the den again.

"Then why aren't we hibernating?" she grumbled, half audible with her muzzle buried in the moss.

"Come on, there are always chores to be done, and we're missing half us apprentices until tonight. Besides, if we finish up quick we have all day to play with Creekkit, Amberkit, Ravenkit, and Stonekit." she meowed in a tantalizing mew. Redpaw jumped to her feet.

"Well, if we have to..." she grumbled, but the purr under her voice showed she really didn't mind. Asterpaw matched her tone and finished grooming her fur. She waited patiently for her sister to do the same, sitting near the den entrance.

The den feels so empty without Gullypaw, Gorgepaw, and Flamepaw. Asterpaw thought, her mind wandering. This must have been what it was like when the Clan was smaller-not that it could get much smaller than this. Of course she, personally, couldn't remember a time when the apprentices' den was less full. But she'd heard the elders plenty of times talk about their times in the den, when it was just Sweetflower and her mate, Iceclaw, or just Dalefeather and his sister.

"Alright! What ought we have to do?" Redpaw queried.

"Maybe Strathfang needs some help. I mean, Rivertail is busy.. you know." Asterpaw responded, unwilling to mention the sick queen.

"Sounds good to me." Redpaw meowed, brushing past her sister to step out of the den. Asterpaw followed her out and they crossed the camp together towards the medicine den. Pressing past the thick fronds of bracken, the two entered the den.

Inside, Strathfang sat in the middle of a ring of assorted herbs. At the time, his back was turned to them, sorting through some of the stacks. Redpaw made a soft mrr in her throat to alert him of their presence. The tom jumped and looked back over his shoulder, twisting half around to get a good look.

"Oh- er, hello, Redpaw. Asterpaw. Is one of you sick?" the tom seemed anxious, but kept his voice as calm as ever. They quickly shook their heads.

"We have no training or apprentices' duties today, so we wanted to know if you could use some help." Redpaw explained, letting the black cat relax.

"Well, that's a relief. I've had just about enough of sick cats. Rabbitleap was just in here with a bellyache. Let me think.." the black tom glanced around at his herbs.

"I do need feverfew and barrenwort. Here." he picked up two stems from different piles. "These. And if you have time after that, I'd love some extra moss and hazelnuts." Asterpaw took the stem with white flowers and Redpaw took the one with long green leaves.

"We can do all of that." Redpaw mewed confidently around the plant.

"Thank you both, very much." Strathfang purred. Both apprentices dipped their heads and turned around, exiting the den. They made it almost out of the camp before they were stopped by a choir of high-pitched voices.

"Asterpaw! Asterpaw! Redpaw! Redpaw!" with wide-eyed glances at one another, they looked over their shoulders. Four familiar kits were barreling towards them, and before they could react they were off of their own paws and trampled by sixteen of someone else's'.

"Stonekit! Amb-!" Redpaw gasped out. Her voice was strained from the air being knocked out of her, but her tone was still good-natured. Asterpaw snorted, and with her free rear leg, kicked the tabby kit off of her sister lightly. Redpaw gasped, then pushed Stonekit off of her. Asterpaw rolled away from Creakkit and Ravenkit, ignoring their groans of protest.

"C'mon, play with us! We're soooo bored!" Amberkit moaned. The sisters exchanged a look before Aspenstripe brushed out of the elders' den.

"Kits! Your mother didn't say you could leave the den!" she yowled, lashing her tail. The kits' ears laid flat and their tails drooped.

"Aaaaaaaw!" the black tom wailed. "But we were gonna help Asterpaw and Redpaw- er-collect herbs in the forest!"

Asterpaw was impressed. Sure, a cat had only to look at the apprentices to know they were off to gather herbs, but a kit was entirely different. She knew that herself just a few moons ago, had barely known the difference between Valestorm and Sweetflower. Aspenstripe seemed to recognize this, too, and stared with slitted eyes between the four kits.

"Redpaw, Asterpaw, do you really want four rawdy kits treading on your tail while you attend to your duties?" the elder asked, a dull edge in her mew. Redpaw nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course! You must not know these four like I do! They can be very helpful, if you put them to good use." she purred. Asterpaw had to focus hard to stop her whiskers from twitching at the thought.

Aspenstripe didn't refrain from purring loudly. "Well if you're willing to make up a lie that big, I guess you really want them around. Fine, you can take them along. But stay near camp, and if anything seems wrong, come straight back. I'd hate if anything happened to my kin."

The elder gave each kit a lick on the forehead and returned to her den, grumbling softly about kits these days and the like. Creekkit bounced on his paws and ran circles around the apprentices.

"Let's go!" he squeaked. "I want to see the whole territory!" he crowed. Redpaw started towards the camp entrance, stepping carefully around the energetic ginger kit.

"Your ears work, don't they? We have to stay by the camp." she ducked her head to recover the barrenwort that had been knocked from her jaws when the kits attacked.

"Besides," Asterpaw added, doing the same to retrieve the feverfew. "there are too many things that could come and swallow a kit like you up, even in our territory."

Redpaw shot her an angry look and a shutter of fear passed from one kit to the other. She shrugged innocently, passing her up at a light jog and exiting the camp ahead of the other five cats. Ravenkit stuck close behind her, but she had no idea why. All three of his brothers liked Redpaw better, and for good reason.

"What's that?" Amberkit asked when he and the other cats caught up, flicking his tail at the stem in her mouth.

"It's an herb- of course. But I'm not sure which. I belive this one's feverfew." talking around the plant had become somewhat easier. Although she imagined her face looked a little funny, talking out of the corner of her mouth.

"I'm sure that one's feverfew." Redpaw chipped in, coming up beside her sister. "I remember Rivertail used that on Dalefeather when he had a fever. We had to keep away from the elders' den the whole time, so that we never caught it."

Asterpaw tilted her head, but straightened it out a second later. She didn't want the kits to think she was inferior to Redpaw. As strange as it was to think, one of them may be her apprentice one day. After all, once a cat was apprenticed, it took roughly four moons to become a warrior, and their litter had come just a moon before Redpaw and Asterpaw had had their apprentice ceremonies. It's not like there would be many other cats to chose from, either.

"What herb are you carrying?" Amberkit asked her sister.

"Barrenwort." she replied curtly. The small tom nodded, looking around with wide eyes. The little patrol stopped a few paces outside of the camp.

"I bet plenty of this stuff grows by the stream." Redpaw commented. Asterpaw looked down at the kits with worry. Redpaw noticed easily. "You guys can handle that, can't you?"

Four small, furry heads nodded vigorously, but Asterpaw still was not convinced.

"You know Flamepaw's sisters drowned in the stream when they were kits." she whispered to Redpaw, hoping her voice was low enough they couldn't hear.

"They'll stay away from the water and gather moss while we gather the herbs, and then we can return to camp. They don't need to get near the stream, so you've nothing to worry about. Besides, we'll be with them the whole time, and it's not even deep enough that we would have to swim during this season." Redpaw reassured her.

"To the stream!" Creekkit called. Asterpaw caught his tail in her claws before he could bolt ahead.

"Stay close to us, furball." she scolded. The tiny tom acted very hurt, either by her distrust or the pricks of her claws, but obeyed, sticking pointedly to Redpaw's side of the path.

On the short way to the stream, Asterpaw went over the event of the kits' drowning in her had found out about it a moon after it had happened, listening to a few warriors talk about it at Flamepaw's apprentice ceremony. The warriors had told them never to mention it again, especially not to the ginger tom, who they said had forgotten it. Asterpaw thought they must be lying, or didn't know any better, because she had been woken more than once by the older apprentice crying faintly in his nest, and moving his paws like he was running, and calling out names. She could never hear the names clearly, but they were something along the lines of Nettlekit and something that began with an S sound.

"Here it is." Redpaw meowed confidently, stopping before the shimmery, slithering body of water. The trees fell back a fox-length, letting the sun shine through. This was the shallowest part of the stream, where some of the pebbly bottom breached the surface during the warm seasons. The kits stood in awe of it for a moment. It didn't last long, when Creekkit took a flying leap towards it. Redpaw was luckily quick to act, and caught him by the scruff a wingbeat after he had moved.

"Don't go looking for trouble." she hissed through clenched teeth, setting him down beside Ravenkit. Asterpaw shot her a seething look but Redpaw shrugged it off.

"Only pick out the softest, freshest moss, alright, kits?" she meowed. Asterpaw stared sharply at them, looking over her shoulder for a heartbeat. The tom kits headed back over the rise, their noses near the ground. She sighed and followed her sister. She felt her chest bump lightly against another cat and turned her head back to the front, realizing Redpaw had stopped short of the stream. A thick patch of the leafy barrenwort lay right beside the water's edge.

"What did I tell you?" the ginger she-cat purred. Asterpaw rolled her eyes.

"Well, pick your herbs, oh mighty warrior, and I'll look for my feverfew elsewhere." she said sarcastically. She turned abruptly on her toes and walked downstream. She didn't care to see her sister's reaction. Here, the trees crept back towards the running water, and provided plenty of chilly shade for the young cat. She shivered as she slipped and landed a paw in the chilly stream. Stepping back out, she drew all the scents of the waterside in with a deep breathe. Barely detectable under the smells of the trees and water, she recognized the same plant around that was in her maw.

She dropped the stem by the water and sought out the living plant. She stepped a few pawsteps one way, sifting through the many tantalizing prey scents and finding again, the soft tang of the feverfew. She nudged her way past a group of thorn saplings and found the poorly flowering herb in the shade of a birch. With a hop in her step, now, she plucked several stems until her mouth was full of the stuff and walked back towards her companions.

Redpaw was nowhere to be seen, but Asterpaw heard her easily enough up the rise, instructing the kits about the wonderful qualities of moss. She huffed in amusement, jogging up the rise and being greeted by the sight of her kin and the kits all safe and dry.

"Nice! Do you think we have enough, yet, kits?" Redpaw purred. Mounds of moss were scattered about on the forest floor. The four of them nodded, proud. "Then let's get started taking it back to campl"

The kits clawed bits off of the heaps into manageable clumps. As they did, Redpaw scooped the barrenwort back up in her teeth. The brothers stood up straight, their own maws full of moss. Asterpaw gave them all an expectant look, and they returned it. Without a word, she led them back towards the camp. Pushing through the heather tunnel, she was greeted by Thunderstar's second daughter, Greenpath. She stopped pacing by the nursery and padded over. Asterpaw had never really talked to her before-she was usually attending to her warrior duties or spending time with Covetail. Now, though, she stood kneading the ground apprehensively.

"Are those herbs for Longwhisker? Rivertail said she'd tell me if she needed herbs-"

"We were just helping Strathfang out." Redpaw interjected evenly. Greenpath sighed.

"Well I'll follow you, I want to ask him something." Asterpaw shrugged and walked across the camp to the medicine den. Greenpath was wreathed in the stench of fear, and just the scent of it made Asterpaw ill at ease.

"That didn't take long." the black tom said in surprise. The herbs were no longer laying all about the den floor, and were tucked back away in neat stacks in the back corner. "You did get the rights herbs this time, I hope?" he jibed playfully.

"I've learned from my experiences." Redpaw said, flicking her ear dismissively. She sat the bundle of barrenwort at the medicine cat's paws.

"Nicely done." he commented sincerely. Asterpaw set her own batch beside her sister's. "You, too, Asterpaw-and I see you recruited some help?" his whiskers twitched, the four miniature toms stacking their balls of moss together. "Thank you very much, kits."

The litter of toms looked pleased with themselves and dipped their heads in a most exaggerated way.

"Thank you, Strathfang." Ravenkit squeaked. The little black tom's chest seemed even more puffed up than his brothers'. Maybe he'll be a medicine cat when he's old enough. Asterpaw ventured.

"Greenpath? Is there something you need?" Strathfang finally addressed the antsy warrior. The she-cat looked a bit relieved, now.

"May I speak to you alone?" she asked politely, slipping past the younger cats to stand in front of the medicine cat. He dipped his head.

"Alright, you young ones can go have fun, now." the kits immediately dashed out of the den, starting some game or another. Redpaw and Asterpaw followed more slowly, their tails curled over their backs amusedly. The latter slowed to a stop just outside of the den, a sly idea coming to mind. She stepped into the small space between the elders' and the medicine cats' den. Tall, soft grass sprung up in the shade of the two dens. As she settled onto the stalks, they flattened easily under her weight. Redpaw glanced back at her.

"Tired? Or.. snooping?" she whispered the last word, smirking at her sister. Asterpaw flattned her ears, flustered.

"It looked like a good spot for a nap, and I was right." she defended herself, looking away. She knew she was doing a poor job of hiding her intentions, and with Redpaw she didn't mind.

"Well, when you're done scouting out hidden spots to hide from training, you can come join me playing with Brindleflame's kits." Redpaw replied, and rejoined the ktis in the main clearing. From where Asterpaw was stretched out, she could still see the five of them, tossing a bit of moss across the clearing to one another. While she watched, she strained her ears to hear inside of the den.

"... be fine. Worrying won't do you any good. What will is getting enough rest, eating enough fresh-kill, and telling Covetail the good news. Do you hear me?" an audible sigh came from the she-cat.

"If you're really sure, then yes. Thank you, Strathfang." she replied.

"And I want you in the nursery no later than missing-moon." Greenpath must have nodded, because Asterpaw had little warning when she brushed through the den entrance a moment later. She flattened herself so that she wasn't visible past the tall grass and waited for the warrior to exit the camp to step out of her hiding spot. Greenpath was going to have kits! She couldn't imagine the warriors and elders were right when they whispered in tones they thought no cat could hear; speculating that the Clan would fall out in a matter of seasons. All of the new kits had to be a sign. Maybe Thunderstar had to leave to the Star cave to receive it. Perhaps even a new prophecy.

"Catch!" Asterpaw jumped, feeling a faint touch against her side. Stonekit had hurled the moss ball at her. She growled, hooking the moss with her claw and tossing it just over the gray kit's head. As he leaped into the air to catch it, Redpaw loped over.

"Hear anything of interest?" she asked, keeping an eye on the kits as they followed the moss to the far end of the camp. Asterpaw tried not to blurt out what she'd learned, but it was of no use.

"Greenpath is going to have Covetail's kits." she said under her breath. Redpaw's ears laid back.

"You didn't know that?" she meowed flatly.

"You did?" Asterpaw replied in surprise.

"I mean, I didn't know know, but it was obvious it was gonna happen soon." she explained. Asterpaw wrinkled her nose at her blatant tone.

"Well I'm excited." she muttered.

"Asterpaw, don't be like that." Redpaw swiped her sister's ears gently. "I didn't know, mole-brain. I guess I'm pretty convincing, though."

Asterpaw flicked her side with her tail in return. "You're a liar." she corrected.

"Whatever you call it, I'm better at it than you." Redpaw purred arrogantly.

"Well you're not better at moss ball." Asterpaw growled. Just as the bit of moss was hurled their way, she dashed forward and caught it in her teeth. She dodged away from Redpaw, satisfaction making her more determined as her sister slipped onto her side. She threw it towards Ravenkit. They continued their game until the sun started to go down. Then, the chill in the air drove them into the elders' den. They listened to the elders' stories until the apprentices were driven back to their den. The pair speculated if Duskpaw had even left the den, seeing her curled up the same way she had been when they'd left, but said nothing out loud about it. Redpaw yawned, and on that cue they curled up and fell asleep not long after.

* * *

Asterpaw didn't remember having any dreams that night, but she recalled hearing a terrible screech, and imagined several cats scrambling around outside of the den.


	8. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

* * *

As the quintet of ValleyClan cats forced themselves on, they grew more wary. But the fear burning in Thunderstar's heart prevented any tiredness from entering his own body. The poor apprentices, though strong and determined, lagged behind, becoming more and more spread apart. Dellsong jogged just behind them, encouraging them to keep up with the young leader when they needed it.

A faint light showed on the horizon, although the patched tom could not see the actual sun behind an expanse of tall plants. As the sky grew brighter, he could make out the treeline of the forest not far off. Flamepaw sped his pace to walk beside Thunderstar.

"What's that over there, Thunderstar? It looks like weird, really tall grass.." he yawned. The leader purred warmly.

"Maybe your mother hasn't told you about it, yet, Flamepaw. It's a plant called corn. Twolegs grow it.. No cat knows why, though." internally, he hoped he sounded knowledgeable. Flamepaw squinted hard in the field's direction, while Dellsong and the older apprentices caught up to them.

"Thunderstar, can you smell that?" Gullypaw mewed suspiciously. The tom looked at the young she-cat, confused. He drew to a stop and scented the air for himself. He flattened his ears.

"It's a cat, a rogue. I think it's following our scent trail backwards."

"What should we do?" Gorgepaw asked, blatant.

"Mmm.. We need to keep going, but keep your ears pricked, and your eyes wide. This cat could be dangerous." Immediately, the apprentices obeyed. The older cat was caught off guard by their obedience. Finally feeling his nervous energy being put to use, Thunderstar let his senses strain to detect the strange cat.

As the trees approached, the scent became stronger. Thunderstar's dorsal hairs began to rise as he grew closer. Flamepaw walked closer to his leader, Dellsong walking closer to her son. The older apprentices walked bravely (or foolishly) apart from the other cats as they went on. Their collective unease grew as shrubs and forest plants sprouted around them, leading up into the forest.

Thunderstar halted again, drawing in a long breathe. The scent was so near he knew the cat must be close enough to touch. In fact, he saw a tail flick under a bush a tail-length before him. He barred his tail before his Clanmates to stop them following him before creeping towards the bush. He poked his head under the branches to see a thick-furred she-cat, staring back at him with wide eyes.

"Stay away!" she hissed, making him jump back a step. He flattened his ears but stood his ground.

"May I point out you were the one tracking me-or should I say us." he flicked his tail at his patrol, though their paws were the only things visible. The she-cat's pupils twitched momentarily to look, likely not seeing what she'd glanced. Her lip curled.

"It's what cats do out here. I thought they had all come tracking you from here, but a smart cat knows a cat goes _and_ comes from prey spots. Most cats here aren't smart." she growled, staring away. He wondered who all these cats were, that somehow the Clan had never seen. But there was something more important at paw. Maybe this she-cat had things to teach them. "I've never heard of cats living together. You're not-you haven't heard of those savage cats, have you? I've met cats who left them."

Suddenly the she-cat's guarded demeanor partly fell away, showing a natural curiosity that must've been long suppressed in her solitude. Thunderstar took a moment to think of exactly how to explain himself and his cats before he opened his jaws to speak.

"My cats are not savage. We are called ValleyClan, and we treat our Clanmates and others with compassion." he paused, unsure for a moment. "The cats you met, what were their names?"

"I don't know; they weren't so kind-not that that's unusual. They just told me to stay away from the savages." her defensive behavior started to sprout back up as she responded.

"You keep saying most cats, but why not all cats?" he asked tentatively.

"I was raised with decent littermates, alright? Even met some decent housefolk, before. I know that makes you hate me, now, so leave." she hissed, sounding more disgusted by her own words than his passive reaction to them.

"I said we are compassionate to strangers, and I meant it. I, and my Clanmates, don't judge cats so easily by their heritage." _I mean look at me, son to the worshipped Cliffstar, loathed by half or more of the Clan._ The she-cat licked her nose and wrapped her tail around her body.

"If you really mean it.. My name is Calla. If you'd allow, I think I would like to see your Clan.. how it works." she mewed, cautious.

"My name is Thunderstar, I am the leader of my Clan. I'd welcome you to come see our camp and our ways. However, my patrol is in quite a hurry to return to our camp. If you don't mind the rush, you can join us, now." to his pleasant surprise, Calla nodded her head vigorously and climbed out from under the bush before the tom could. He wriggled himself backward awkwardly, about bumping into Flamepaw. He turned to his patrol, their weary eyes trained on him. He swallowed, trying to wet his dry mouth.

"The cat that was following us.. She is a loner named Calla. She is going to accompany us back to camp." They exchanged glances, silent. For a moment he looked back and forth between them, but no one spoke up. Again, he was struck with the anxiety of what may be transpiring at home. Deciding not to speak up himself, he turned and started towards their territory. He kept the pace slow, allowing Calla to keep pace. She seemed ill at ease at first, straying far to one side of the others. But as she focused more on keeping up and in rhythm with their strides, she forgot about keeping her distance. Thunderstar's impatience drummed up, and he ran at full speed after a while.

As he wove his way around the trees and undergrowth, the leader began to remember his duties as a mentor. Poor Asterpaw; some mentor he was. He hadn't been one since Glenberry had been made a warrior, almost seven seasons ago. It was hard to recall that long ago, when prey always seemed at paw's length, and he did nothing all day but jeer at Strathfang. It seemed strange now, that his best days were when his father was in charge. But, at the same time, they were the same days that his mother had lived, too.

His mind wandered to his own kits. He couldn't say he'd done a good job teaching them, either. Not a dawn passed that Thunderstar didn't thank StarClan for Longwhisker. She was really the one that had made their kits the spitting image of what a warrior should be. He hoped she could do it, again. _I'll be a better father to these kits,_ he decided. _And I'll start being a father to the older three. Even if-_

"I swear I can smell the scent markers!" Gullypaw yowled excitedly. The patrol's speed slowed.

Dellsong hissed. "Shut your muzzle! Any more of that, all the prey from here to the waterfall will be hidden in their burrows!" Thunderstar flicked her side, good-humored.

"Prey still runs fine this time of year," he stated, glancing reassuringly at Calla, "I'm sure they're busy gathering food for the cold."

"Ugh, Thunderstar, can we run ahead? I'm afraid if we keep up this pace, my paws will catch up to the rest of me and I'll fall over!" Gorgepaw sighed, exasperated.

"Alright, the three of you apprentices run to camp and tell the Clan we're back and that we've a guest with us." he replied. The older pair dashed off immediately, Flamepaw giving a nod to show he'd heard before he followed.

The three remaining cats kept a steady pace, soon losing track of the apprentices. Thunderstar kept a close eye on Calla, studying her movements. She watched every leaf fall from the treetops, alert. Every twitch of prey in the undergrowth caught her eye and made her trip more than once. The tom wondered if she was always like this, or only in the presence of other cats.

Thunderstar breathed a noticeable sigh of relief as he scented the border and stepped across it. He felt his blood pump harder, his head lift, and he felt the whole of his ancestors above him. He was home, again. Dellsong caught his eye, and he purred. She purred shortly back, understanding.

Once they were inside the border, it was an easy path back to the camp. The familiar ground seemed to carve the way for them as they ran, swift as a river, towards their destination. The trunks of trees zoomed past, ferns and brambles teased at their flanks, and soon the heather tunnel was in view. Thunderstar barreled through it, digging his claws into the soft-beaten ground of the camp to stop himself.

Even though now was the time cats usually shared tongues after eating, few cats remained in the clearing. The three apprentices hung around the fresh-kill pile, picking something for themselves after their long day. Dalefeather, Aspenstripe, and Elderpelt sat huddled near the elder's den, whispering together. Glenberry thrust her head out of the warriors' den, about to cross the clearing to her kits, when she caught sight of the leader. She flattened her ears and immediately retreated back into den. He cocked his head in confusion but proceeded into the camp. No other cats were visible. Something was wrong.

"Are these the only cats in your Clan?" Calla whispered, seeming self-conscious in the quiet camp.

"No. There are plenty more cats.. It's late, they're all probably resting in their dens, now." he replied, paying more attention to what he saw than what he said. "Dellsong, take Calla to get something to eat and I'll be right with you.."

He didn't pay attention to what Dellsong said. He made his way forebodingly across the camp towards the nursery. Every pace he took, every second his paw pads touched the earth something felt wrong. He could almost hear StarClan screeching in his ears, yet the camp was so quiet. Thunderstar stopped at the entrance to the nursery. He took a deep breath and stepped into the den.

Shadows covered everything inside. It took him an agonizing second to adjust to the darkness. As he took another breath, the stench of sickness filled his lungs. He started to gag, but held it back. He immediately saw Rivertail crouched near the base of the elder bush, near a sleeping cat. The cat was obviously the source of illness, and as he drew closer the bile rose in his throat. Seeing the black ribbons carving across the barely breathing silver flank made him sicker than anything else in the world could.

"Longwhisker!" he cried, and pressed his muzzle against her flank. No tiny bodies squirmed in her belly. He shuttered as all the ideas of what horrid things could have happened passed through his head. She had kitted. Had she been sick when she had? Did the illness kill them? Had they been too weak at birth, as Rivinefall and her sister had been? What if a fox had gotten into the camp while he was gone, and eaten his newborn kits? He drew back his head as his mate took a sudden strong breathe.

"Thunderheart?" she murmured, her mew almost inaudible.

"Longwhisker, what happened to you?" he whispered, horrified.

"Thunderstar, a word?" Rivertail asked briskly. He looked at her, swallowing his fear. He nodded and stepped back, reluctant.

"Don't be long, my love." Longwhisker said quietly. He left his gaze on her for a long time before he left to one corner of the den with the medicine cat.

"Thunderstar," she meowed, "She has kitting sickness. It happened to her mother as well. She can't recover from it.. It will only get worse until.." the medicine cat stopped talking. It was clear what she meant. Without replying, he turned back to the beautiful she-cat and sat beside her, looking down at her. At first he hadn't paid any attention to how she really looked. He always just saw the same cat he'd grown up with, the cat he loved. Now that he looked at her, resting in the dark, he saw her bones near the surface of her pelt, after only two days. He could feel the heat coming off of her, how little care she had left for herself. He bent his head and began rasping his tongue over her dingy fur. She lifted her head again, her body shaking in the effort.

"Your kits.. they're in the nursery." she said, her voice filled with joy. Thunderstar suddenly felt so very old, and his heart strained painfully.

"They're our kits, Longwhisker." he purred roughly. He pressed his head against her side, drawing strength from her happiness.

"Your kits still need names." she murmured, ignoring him.

"We'll name them after you." he whispered immediately.

Longwhisker purred. Her mate felt her shake even more as she did. "There's three of them, they can't all be named after me."

"Sure they can.. Longkit, Whiskerkit, and.." his voice fell away.

"See, silly tom?" laughter filled her voice. "Besides, there are much pretty names.. I think we should name the she-kit Freezekit."

"Anything you want.. Longwhisker." he agreed.

"You say my name as if you never will again." Longwhisker's voice grew serious. "Promise me you'll say my name everyday. Say it to yourself, and say it to our kits."

"Yes." Thunderstar felt his heart shatter. The pieces pierced his chest and made him want to follow his mate to StarClan.

"Tell them a new story every day about how much fun we had, every hunt we went on, every rogue we chased.. and that includes the older three." this time, he simply nodded. He couldn't make himself speak any longer.

"Please let me name the toms after you." he choked out.

"How about this: name one of them after my father. And name the other tom Talonkit." Thunderstar turned his head to lick her cheek.

"Don't leave me, Longwhisker. I need you so much. I'm not a good father. I'm not a good leader. You just make me look like I am. Please-" the leader's voice cracked. His mate licked his nose and a moment later her head dropped to the mossy ground. Scared, he shot to his feet, sniffing the she-cat up and down. To his relief, she was still breathing. Rivertail stepped up behind him, touching her tail to his shoulder.

"You should go see your kits, Thunderstar. They're beautiful." she murmured. Thunderstar whirled on her, snarling.

"You should be helping her! Where are your herbs? Where is your special connection to StarClan!? Why won't you save her!?" he yowled. The medicine cat cowered in fear, pressing her back against the walls of the nursery.

"Thunderstar-"

"No! Don't try to silence me! If you can't do anything, I'll stay here until she's better! Because she has to!" broken inside, the patch pelted leader collapsed by his mate and wrapped his body around her's, burying his face in her side.


	9. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

"Hollowfoot!" a yowl made the slumbering warriors jump in their nests. Rivertail stepped haphazardly over them towards the young warrior and his littermate. "Greenpath!" The dark tabby rolled onto his side, blinking sleep from his eyes. Greenpath sat up quickly, already alert.

"What is it?" the she-cat asked. The medicine cat's sorrowful eyes were disguised in the darkness.

"Longwhisker isn't far from the stars." she whispered. Without another word, Hollowfoot took a single leap across his denmates and ran from the den. Greenpath wasn't far behind and the ginger healer followed. They rounded their path towards the nursery as they left the den and squeezed in, one after the other. Inside, one cat already sat as a sentry above a fragile body. His usually bright, clean fur was disheveled and covered in bits of moss and dirt. His head was bowed, hiding his face, but it was obvious this was Thunderstar. Quietly, his kits approached him. Greenpath sat close beside him, waiting a moment before burying her face in his shoulder fur. His son kept a small distance from him, but let his fur brush his father's. Rivertail stared for a long time at the fragile cat on the ground before sitting near the entrance and closing her eyes.

It wasn't a minute later that Ravinefall pressed into the den. A tiny bundle dangled from her maw, and two more sat on the ground by her paws. She came in and set the precious bundle in her mouth on the soft moss before retrieving the other two in separate trips. Once they were all inside, she curled her tail around them and sheltered them under her belly. It was easy to see her as their mother in this way.

"Kits." the shaking form on the floor whispered. The three eldest met her watery eyes. "Let me see them." the queen feebly pointed her nose towards the three at Ravinefall's paws. She nudged them towards their mother. The queen worked for a moment, shakily propping herself up with her forelegs. She let the kits sit between her paws and licked the she-kit between the ears.

"We've named her Freezekit." she purred, her voice dying after a moment. She took a wheezing breath and licked the brown tabby's ear. "He will be Talonkit." she whispered and pressed her nose against the silver tabby's head. "And he is Mistykit."

"They're beautiful." Greenpath choked out. Her siblings only nodded.

"All of my kits are." Longwhisker sighed. "And they'll have more beautiful kits." her eyes rested a second on Greenpath and the warrior looked away.

Her mate stirred a bit and looked down at what as far as he was concerned, was his true love. She went on talking about her kits but he didn't bother listening. He felt so crushed. He didn't know what to do. Should he be angry his mate was being stolen from him? They were so young. Their kits were so young. And the youngest three would never know their mother. What life was that? Not to know the tug of her tongue over your fur before your eyes were even open, not to hear her heart beat against yours or her purr. They would never be scolded by her loving voice, or be led in front of their clanmates to their apprentice ceremonies by her. He met her eyes as she looked at him and she paused.

"Don't be sad, Thunderstar." she whispered. "You were the greatest thing that ever happened to me." He shook his head vigorously, unable to use his voice for the lump in his throat. "I-it's true. Without you, I was… I was a clueless she-cat. I had nothing b-better to do than.. chase beetles all day. T-together? ..We've done s-such beautiful.. things." her voice started to sputter and she began breathing heavily. She sighed again and closed her eyes, laying her head down on the soft mossy nest. Ravinefall gently lifted the kits from the nest and set them back underneath of her, half-crouching over them.

The sitting cats stayed silent and trained their eyes on the she-cat as she labored to breathe. Slowly, agony rose in all of their chests as her breathing grew softer, slower, shallower. Then it stopped. The cats were still soundless, motionless. It was like they expected her to wake up, again. Eventually, the deputy stirred and gathered the kits together. She picked one up in her mouth and Rivertail grabbed another. Hollowfoot realized they would need a paw and helped them with the third kit. Only Thunderstar and Greenpath were left in the den as they left.

"I'm pregnant." she whispered. Her mind was numb; she had wanted to tell the both after her mother had gotten better. Two days before her condition had stopped worsening, and even yesterday improved. Now that they were here, she hadn't known what else to say. Her thoughts were so crowded out by her sorrow that the only one left had slipped out of her brain and through her mouth.

"I'm sorry." her father whispered. Suddenly, he collapsed, pressing his face into the body of the cat he had loved.

All at once, Greenpath wanted to run, to screech at him, tell him she was sorry, to talk to Covetail, to stop growing these kits. She decided to run, and streaked out of the nursery. Her eyes whirled and she didn't see who was in the clearing or who stared. She slipped through the gorse tunnel and let her paws take her wherever they wanted. She let her breathe come fast and distract her mind for a moment.

When her legs could take no more, she came to a stop before a cluster of boulders. Her paws had taken her all the way across the territory to the waterfall. As she caught her breathe, she splashed through the stream, just beside the spot where it snaked out from under the huge rocks. She came to the spot between the cliff wall and the boulders, where there was a gap. She squeezed between the literal rock and hard place, realizing distraughtly that it had been easier to get in, before. Again, her thoughts fell away as she gazed around the beautiful place.

High above, taller than the trees, the top of the cliff stood. From the ground, the tiny sprouts of ferns and moss on the tops of the rocky wall were barely green specks. The bright blue sky was in stark contrast to the pale tan earth. Little could be heard over the rumble of the tumbling water, eternally droning down. Below the falling stream, a ragged pool quivered. the unending flow from above kept it in ripples, raising the water over rocks only to bring it back, and to raise it again. Fish squirmed in the depths, but their shapes were hard to find in the shadow of the undergrowth surrounding the water. There were no trees in the place, and a majority of the ground was bare. The only other obstruction to the open space was the stream, tethering away from its source.

Greenpath felt a rumble in her stomach and stepped up to the waterside. She settled herself carefully on the sandy, damp ground and trained her eyes on the water. She watched patiently as an oblong black shape danced below the surface. Slowly, it ventured closer. The cat slowly lifted a paw and the little shape advanced, still. Just as it came a tail-length within her reach, she struck out, throwing the phantom out of the water. In an arch of clear droplets, a fish flopped over her head and shimmied on the grass beside her. With a satisfied little growl, she bent her head and crunched into it's upper body. The movement stopped and she crouched to munch on her catch.

"Greenpath!" a yowl sailed over the boulders and echoed lightly against the cliffs. The cat forced herself to keep eating the fish and to act calm. She heard a cat scramble between the boulders and approach her. The gentle brush of fur against her own made her look up into the soft silver-blue face of a she-cat. "So this is where you went off to."

She looked down again and didn't speak. Glenberry sat beside her and began grooming herself. for a minute the pair sat in uncomfortable silence, but Glenberry refused to break it, and acted like everything was fine.

"My mother is dead." Greenpath whispered. She didn't say it for Glenberry, she didn't even believe her words. But she had to say them.

"I know." the queen's voice was saturated with grief. "She was a good cat. It's a shame the Clan lost her so soon. It's a shame that you and her other kits did."

"I don't know what to do, anymore. The Clan is in shambles. Everybody knows that. Except the kitty-pets. They only know things this way. That's why I liked Covetail.. but know, his ignorance is just annoying. I don't know what to do."

Glenberry drew her tongue over her ear. Abruptly, she pulled back and began to speak, "Believe in your warrior ancestors. They know what is right. Clan born cats learn to doubt StarClan, but non-clan cats learn to believe in them. Bring faith back into the clan through your own actions. In time, amazing things will happen, and ValleyClan will be great."

Greenpath lifted her head and gazed up at her friend. Glenberry was smart, but these were not the words of the light-hearted cat she knew. She tilted her head questioningly at her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"How do you know all that?" Greenpath asked cautiously.

"All of what?" she replied, clearly confused.

"That stuff you just said! About faith and StarClan." Greenpath mewed. Glenberry shook her head.

"I've no clue what you mean." she looked away, grooming her shoulder distractedly. Greenpath gave up, knowing her friend would never remember. She gazed up at the empty blueness above her. The sun blazed into her eyes, but still she searched the bright depths above the earth. There was no doubt in her mind that the words of Glenberry had been spoken through her, from their ancestors. She cocked her head to the side, wondering what time would tell her that she did not already know. What would make her Clan great?

"Do you want to come back to camp? I don't blame you if you want to be alone for awhile. I was just scared something might happen to you, running around blind like that." her friend interrupted her thoughts. The gray tabby finished the last scraps of her fish and stood, kicking dirt of the bones.

"I'll go back to camp. A patrol might help take my mind off of.." she stopped, and Glenberry only nodded. She let Greenpath squeeze out of the secluded area before her, hiding a smug purr. Her friend's secret wouldn't be disguisable much longer. She slipped out behind her, and together the pair walked back to camp.

* * *

The dawn after Thunderstar had returned from his trip to the Star Cave, Ravinefall had assigned Runningwillow as Asterpaw's temporary mentor. Now that Duskpaw was no longer confined to camp, she could train, again. All of the apprentices could now go back to training full time.

The first day, they focused on battle training. The three oldest apprentices had worked on advanced stealth techniques while Flamepaw and Redpaw practiced one on one combat together, and Asterpaw worked with Runningwillow to catch up on her training. The next day, they were assessed in their hunting skills. The cat who caught the most prey got first pick of the entire fresh-kill pile. In the end, Asterpaw was named the winner after catching a squirrel, two mice, and a snake. Today, first thing at sunrise, all six of them had gone on patrols. Gorgepaw and Duskpaw had gone with their mentors along the east border, Asterpaw and Gullypaw's patrol along the west, and Flamepaw and Redpaw had gone down the middle, weaving here and there to places especially prone to foxes or other annoyances. Then, they had met up before the waterfall and made their way back to camp with a hunting exercise. When they stepped paw back into camp, they were all fairly worn out.

Near the back of the camp, in the lesser used space behind the Elm tree and near the elders' den, a small bunch of large, flat rocks sat in the sun. They grew warm throughout the day and were usually occupied by the elders or warriors off of duty. Today, though, only a few leaves rested on the toasty, inviting surfaces. Immediately, the group of young cats took the space as their own.

Gorgepaw shouldered his way to the biggest rock, kicking Redpaw square in the chest as she tried to scrabble up. Asterpaw was tempted to claw him, but her sister assured her he didn't hurt her or mean to. Gullypaw settled on a smaller rock by herself, dozing off. Flamepaw clambered onto a decent-sized rock, and to his surprise, Redpaw leaped up beside him. He groomed his chest fur distractedly. Asterpaw tilted her head, but didn't mind taking a spot without her sister for once. She realized Duskpaw was crouching in the shade of the Elm tree rather dejectedly, and she forced her to her feet and got her to join her on one of the last larger rocks.

"Hey, Redpaw." Gorgepaw meowed, looked over at the ginger she-cat. "If you had to give up one type of prey, what would it be?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, yawning.

"Like, feathery prey, furry prey, scaley prey.." he explained. Redpaw thought on it for a moment, looking across the camp to the fresh-kill pile.

"I think I'd give up the slimey prey." she purred, rolled onto her back and stretching her forepaws into the air.

"That doesn't count. Hardly ever does any cat eat frogs." Gorgepaw scoffed. Flamepaw lifted his head.

"I kinda like toads.." he murmured.

"Food like that gives me the creeps. I like birds best. Nothing beats a warm thrush." Gullypaw purred. She lay with her eyes closed, stretched out comfortably on her own rock. Gorgepaw gave her a prod, which made her swipe him over the ears.

"You only say that 'cause Hollowfoot did, ya moony frog-brain." her kin grumbled. She sniffed distastefully at him and didn't respond.

"I'd give up tom prey, if you know what I mean." Duskpaw meowed boldly. "Too much work to catch, and you don't even get to kill 'em." The group of apprentices purred collectively.

"You're funny, Duskpaw. You should tell more jokes like that." Gullypaw said. The small she-cat purred happily in response.

Before another cat could talk, a cat stepped out of the nursery. The apprentices watched mildly as a ginger tabby crossed the clearing and stopped in front of them. The medicine cat dipped her head solemnly before she spoke.

"Greetings, 'paws. You can probably guess what I'm about to tell you, but.." she took a deep breath, "Longwhisker hasn't been doing well for a few days, and we tried to hope for the best, but it was inevitable that she would join StarClan. I thought you all might want to know before her vigil, tonight."

She kept her eyes down and didn't wait to hear a response from them. She turned and padded to the medicine den. The apprentices just looked back at one another, dumbfounded.

* * *

In the end, none of the apprentices attended the vigil for Longwhisker that night. None of them knew her that well, and it would be boring-such were their excuses. Of course a young cat wouldn't want to stare death in the face just before their first Leafbare. So all of them went to their den and went to sleep without many words between them. They were all too occupied by their thoughts. Most of them seemed to doze off after awhile, too tired to care for one night, but Asterpaw lay awake.

Her mind was still buzzing with thoughts too fresh to let her rest. Longwhisker died. Her body was empty now, without her soul. Before her vigil, had she still been trapped inside? Was waiting for your vigil like sleeping, or was it like trying not to move when you're pretending to sleep? Did she want to move, but couldn't anymore? Asterpaw shuttered. She wanted nothing to do with death for a long, long time. Honestly, it played a small part in her desire to become leader.

She rolled onto her back and stared up through the gorse and to the stars above. She didn't see anything new. There were probably too many stars for her to tell, really. Still, how strange it was that cats older than anyone in her Clan could remember watched their lives with a silent eye above. Maybe it was fun, like when the elders told kits stories. Only these stories really happened right before you, and you could change them! No, Asterpaw decided, being dead still didn't sound that appealing.

Again, she tossed in her nest. Redpaw growled in her sleep, and she forced herself to stop twitching. A thought popped into her head. What if Redpaw died? Her heart froze. She couldn't live without her. She didn't want to think about this stuff, anymore. She curled up, her tail over her nose, and forced herself to think of nothing but hunting in the morning with her sister at her side.


	10. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

As the sun started to set on the day of Longwhisker's death, the clan sat vigil for her. In the morning, the elders began to drag her body away to bury her. Thunderstar did not say a word and shoved himself to his feet. He slipped into his den and collapsed on his bed of moss, curling up as tightly as he could.

As he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by a misty forest. It would have been dark and foreboding, but soft sunlight fell on his pelt and made the dew in the grass shimmer. It appeared that stars covered every leaf and petal. He looked around in wonder; he knew these hunting grounds: _StarClan_. Cautiously, he ventured along the vaguely familiar path. He had taken it twice before, when he had lost his lives. This couldn't be the same reason for it, though. What could have killed him? he shrugged it off and was just thankful that Cliffstar wasn't mauling him in this dream.

As he tread along, he caught glimpses of fur in the undergrowth. A gray flank here, a white tail there. Their ethereal scents confused him as to which cats these were, or if he knew them at all, so for the time, he kept on and didn't bother to pursue any of them.

The tom pushed through a patch of sparkling bracken to come to a deep pool. It was small, less than a fox-length around. He didn't dawdle on the water for long. A pawful of cats sat around the pool, talking together. Every time he saw them, he was baffled. Their pelts were on fire, beaming with starlight. Their eyes, although still that of a cat's, were veiled with frost, which made their irises shimmered as they stared around. The smooth pelts, scarred as they were, gave off a clean shine that no living cat could manage.

Forgetting his awe, he recognized his mother. Next to her was Cliffstar, of course, and on his other side, Sweetflower's mate, Iceclaw. He saw a familiar silver and black pelt, and for a second he was extremely hopeful. They were dashed immediately as he took in the broad, scarred shoulders of Mistyfeather. Beside him, his mate, Fuzzyleap, whispered in his ear. He assumed these were the only recently passed cats in StarClan, and he wondered if the cats who had recently left his clan had died and not joined their warrior ancestors. He shook the thought away as he approached his kin. The star-touched warriors dipped their heads respectfully to the current leader.

"Do you know… _why_ you are here?" his father got to his paws, skipping any formal greetings. His fiery amber eyes met his son's and he hardly stopped himself from flinching. He shook his head, nervous. "You… _Mmmmmm_ \- you were killed by _grief!_ Grief!" he repeated himself, as if he didn't believe his own words.

"I don't understand." Thunderstar replied, feeling his mouth become dry. His mind whirled with questions and he shuttered. How weak was he to be killed by something as stupid as feelings? He wanted to deny it, say it wasn't true, but he didn't believe those words himself.

"Cliffstar," Gorseflower pleaded, "it's not that simple. You're making him feel worse.." the steaming tom glanced at her and sighed, grinding his teeth.

"Whatever. Come this way, Thunderclaw - star." he corrected lazily, obviously not intent on calling him the right name. Thunderstar stepped around the pool, ignoring his father's crucial glare. He felt awkward staring around, but it was better than burning alive from such a terrible glowering. "Follow me."

Just as his son reached him, he stood and turned sharply. Thunderstar had no choice but to follow, and stepped quietly behind him. They took a winding trail that sloped downwards towards a small hollow. Thunderstar pressed the pace as he caught sight of a sleek silver and black form. This time, he was sure of who it was. Cliffstar stayed stubbornly the same speed, and his son passed him up impatiently. He tore down the path and slid to a halt, the cat's back turned to him.

The cat turned around, her soft purr reverberating throughout the space. Thunderstar remembered the last time he had seen her, so stiff and posed in the center of the camp. She had been so skinny, her fur so dull. Now her beauty was undeniable. She looked as young as when they had spent their days together, carefree, hunting and fighting side by side as warriors of ValleyClan.

"Longwhisker!" he purred madly as he pressed his muzzle against her's. She ran her nose against his jaw and rested her head on his shoulder. He did the same, and refused to move for as long as he could. He wanted to stay just like this. Forever.

He opened his mouth to speak when she moved away from him. His heart broke in a few more places as he realized he would never do this in the waking world, again. As he looked back at her, she moved her forepaws to reveal a tiny, furry bundle, a copy of herself. Thunderstar's heart skipped a beat.

"No.. Freezekit-"

"Don't worry so." his mate purred. "This is not the same kit, love. Don't you remember Silverkit? Ravinefall's sister. It's been so long since we've seen her..." the little thing bounced towards him, her tail high. She sat before him and stared up at him. She was so tiny, she must not have aged since the day she was kitted.

"Father!" she squeaked. He remembered a long time ago, when his first litter was born. Two tiny forms had rested at Longwhisker's side. One had squirmed like a fish, kneading her belly for milk, while the other barely breathed. It hadn't been much of a surprise when the next morning, the kit had stopped even that. He had seen her one other time, when he had received his nine lives. She had given him a life for certainty. He hoped he would use it well.

"I'd never forget my first kit." he purred, licking her between the ears. "You look just like your mother."

"We needed to see you for a reason, Thunderstar." Longwhisker said quietly, dismissing the light-hearted chatter. He looked up into her clear, pretty yellow eyes. He dipped his head, prompting her to go on. She stood and sat beside him, pressing herself against him. Although he felt her pelt against his, something was different. Now, they were cats of two different worlds. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the she-cat become increasingly transparent and he sighed. His time here, he knew, was almost passed.

"We are always here, looking down on you. We are with you, no matter how long ago we lived. Learn to live in the present, Thunderstar. You cannot return to the past for a reason."

* * *

Thunderstar woke up breathing hard. He stared in the darkness, his brain swirling around in his head. Outside, the sun was going down. He had spent all day asleep. He sat up slowly and looked around his gloomy den. He took in his surroundings and managed to get his barrings. After a minute, when his head stopped spinning, he stood and slipped from his den.

Aspenstripe and Dalefeather were just returning from camp. The elderly she-cat had a pair of mice dangling from her jaws. Dalefeather carried nothing. It must have been a good day for the pair, to feel up to acting like warriors, again. Even if Dalefeather's back prevented him from making a catch, there was no cat who could stop him from trying. Something about it made the leader's heart feel warm; like the shards that were left of his heart were slowly pulling back together.

Gullypaw and her brother scuffled in front of the apprentices' den. Just inside the den, swathed in shadows, Duskpaw looked on without expression. Thunderstar was strangely relieved she was in camp, having seen so little of her, recently. He reminded himself to try and talk with her tomorrow.

As he looked over to the nursery, he saw two red tails disappear into it. It must have been Redpaw and her sister. He wanted to go see his kits, assuming Brindleflame and the kits had returned to their proper den, but he wasn't quite ready to see his mate's pelt reflected on his daughter's tiny body, or the warm place that had felt so cold the day before.

Past the nursery, the warriors' den seemed very busy. Most of his cats lay out in front of their den, sharing tongues. He couldn't help but notice how small his fighting force seemed this way. He must try and attract more loners to join the clan. The way things were, it wouldn't be long before every cat in the clan was kin. He didn't need to explain to his cats why that would be a problem.

Thinking of loners, something he heard the day before sprung to his mind. Thunderstar had thought he had been ignoring everything said to him, but he clearly remembered Ravinefall telling him that Calla would stay in the medicine den until she left. He decided that he would take her on patrol the next day, and finally let her feel what it was like to be a clan cat. He drug his eyes away from the warriors' den and past the medicine den.

Just as he glanced over, the elders' den shook. Sweetflower pressed out of the den, her maw full of moss. Asterpaw stepped up just behind her. The leader was proud of his apprentice. He had been a lousy mentor, but still she was shaping up to be a good warrior. She and her sister were becoming favorites in the Clan. It must have been Flamepaw going into the nursery with Redpaw. He had just assumed it to be the sisters.

Something about how peaceful the clan was brought new hope to the grief-stricken tom. He thought of the prophecy and hoped it was misleading him. His father had told him about the first prophecy. No one remembered the words of it, now, but it had told the first leader, Valley, that rocks would crush his ambition, and a reckonable force would rise in its place. No one had known until it happened, but the rocks had been the ones now walling off the waterfall. It was said they fell when a great storm drove all the cats in the forest towards the most sheltered area: the Waterfall Cove. Valley's mate was just arriving at the water source when the great stones tumbled down on her. When the storm blew over, Valley had stopped being the arrogant young tom who had tried so hard to impress the pretty she-cat. He had become Valleystar, and his ancestors had made him wise. He spoke to the gathered cats, and convinced them to band together. Such a forbidding telling had shown to bring him fortune.

Thunderstar hoped this was the case for him. He put another thing on his list of to-do's for tomorrow: to tell the medicine cats of his visit to the Star Cave.

A yawn overtook him and he was surprised at how tired losing a life had made him, this time. He stalked across the clearing to the fresh-kill pile.

"Thunderstar!" Dalefeather's deep voice called in greeting. He looked over his shoulder, waving his tail in response. The dark ginger tabby stumbled over to him with his odd gate. "I'm glad you decided to see the sun today." he jibed harmlessly.

"Well, if I missed this sunset, what kind of cat would I be?" the leader replied. Clouds covered what parts of the sky they could see, the rest being blocked out by the forest itself.

"A foxheart if I ever saw one." the old tom twitched his whiskers. His mate stopped beside him, dropping the mice at her paws. "Steal one of Aspenstripe's mice, if you want. They're nice fat ones. For Leaf-fall, at least."

The patched tom dipped his head appreciatively and took one of the mice. The pair repeated the motion before stepping around the little fresh-kill pile and heading for the sunning stones. Thunderstar padded back to his den and flopped down in his nest. It was almost too dark to see, but the strong scent of the dead mouse made it easy to find and eat. When his belly was almost too full, he sprawled out and groomed himself half-heartedly. His eyelids grew heavy, and before he was done, he drifted off. He was glad to have no dreams at all, that night.


	11. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

"Father?" a concerned voice sounded in the leader's den. "Father!" it repeated, sounding more shrill. The white and gray tom grunted and flicked his ears. The cat was beside him in a moment, pressing its nose against his head.

"I haven't spoken to you in days." the voice continued, the breath tickling his ear. He opened his eyes just a slit. All he could see was short, striped fur. He drew in air through his nose and identified the cat by their scent: Greenpath. He was surprised, and heaved himself to his paws in a moment. Her soft green eyes were big with concern.

"Greenpath." he purred, giving her a lick on the forehead. "I'm sorry I worried you. I'm sorry.." he trailed off, remembering what he had said to her. Rather, what he hadn't was what haunted him. "I'm so sorry."

The gray tabby looked at her paws. "No, you shouldn't be. You didn't do anything wrong. I should have thought harder about kits.. I know now that it was a mistake to… but it's too late, now." his daughter looked so ashamed. He felt it for her, and for making her feel this way.

"Kits are something wonderful." he purred. Greenpath looked up at him with shock in her eyes. "If I didn't have all of you, I don't know how I'd get by after this. I'd be lost. I'm so proud of you kits. If I ever got one thing right, it was bringing all of you into the world. And.. Longwhisker did more of that than I did."

For a long minute, they sat staring at each other. Greenpath's eyes bored into his, trying to find something to prove he wasn't lying. When she found nothing, she dipped her head.

"I hope I feel the same in a few moons. I want to believe you-I'm just terrified honestly." she said pitifully.

"All cats feel the same." he replied curtly. "And most all cats can put that stress to good use by focusing on their duties as warriors."

Greenpath seemed to understand, and nodded. "Erm, thank you, Thunderstar. I'll go talk to Covetail about it." she purred, awkwardly, before turning and loping across the camp. Thunderstar followed more slowly, pausing at the entrance to his den. He wanted to visit his kits in the nursery, but he knew it was much too early for them to be awake. The white-furred loner crossed his mind and he stepped out of his den, swerving towards the medicine den. He nudged a stray frond of gorse away and stopped just inside.

"What's that one do?" a curious voice asked. Starthfang sat among a familiar arch of herbs. Now, Calla sat close beside him, a forepaw pointed at a stack of feathery stems.

"That's yarrow." his brother replied. "If a cat eats that, they throw up, which can rid their body of things they shouldn't have eaten."

"How do you remember all of this?" the she-cat meowed, in awe. His brother puffed his chest out smugly.

"A medicine cat must have a great memory. We learn everything a warrior does _and_ all of the herbs and ceremonies a medicine cat needs. Not to mention the special connection we have with our warrior ancestors."

"How noble and selfless you are, Strathfang. Not like when you were younger at all." Thunderstar interrupted, standing in front of the two cats.

"I don't know what you mean." the black tom said measuredly. He fixed the leader with a careful stare.

"Your ears weren't shredded by a hedgehog." Thunderstar retorted, but not in an altogether harsh way. Strathfang's ears twitched awkwardly, like he was trying to flatten them.

"What?" Calla tilted her head in interest.

"Do you want to tell her or should I?" the leader asked. Strathfang looked across the den at nothing.

"There's nothing to tell."

"Have you met Brindleflame?" Thunderstar asked. Calla nodded. "A wonderful cat. When Strathfang was a young warrior, he thought so, too."

"Thunderstar." the black cat meowed urgently. His brother only purred in good humor.

"Elderpelt already had an eye for her, and the two spent a lot of time together. But my good brother here was determined to win her love. He challenged Elderpelt for her, as if her affections could be won by brawn." The white she-cat looked at the medicine cat but he stared intently at his paws. "Elderpelt did quite a number on him, as you can see. It wasn't much later he decided to become a medicine cat. When Brindleflame started her kitting, Rivertail had to attend her by herself. Did you know medicine cats can act fully as warriors outside of their minimal healing duties? He spends most of his time here, though."

He knew how terrible a cat he must seem, the leader. The black tom's tail lashed erradicately, but he sat still. Thunderstar knew his fur must be flushed with embarrassment. Good. Strathfang had caused him enough, it was about time he returned the favor. Besides, he knew more about she-cats than the awkward medicine cat ever would. He wouldn't doubt if Calla liked him more, now, even if only out of pity.

"Strathfang, is that all true?" The pretty, long-furred she-cat asked.

"I spend plenty of time outside and on patrols." he defended himself penitently. "I think I serve my clan perfectly fine." He directly avoided the question presented to him.

"Of course you do. Young cats make stupid mistakes. You shouldn't feel bad about them, now." the she-cat said, sympathetic. Thunderstar was right. She twined her tail with the black cat's comfortingly.

"You really think so?" Strathfang said softly, the hint of a trick in his eyes as he shot a look at his kin.

"I know so. My father was challenged by a headstrong youngster before me and my littermates were born. Father had many mates in his life and the scrap had started mooning after a cat my father also had eyes for. It was easy to beat the little thing, but my father admired his confidence and determination. He became my father's best friend. They'd wholly forgotten how they met until my brother asked how they became so close awhile later." she told him matter-of-factly. The trio were silent for a moment.

"What did you need to visit for?" Strathfang asked Thunderstar, the moment past. He began sorting the herbs into neater piles and lining them up near the back of the den.

"I wanted to know how Calla felt about the clan. I know I've been a terrible host, and I wanted to ask if she-if you would like to come on a patrol with me this morning. I can show you around the territory and answer any of your questions."

The white cat nodded. "I'd love to." She meowed shortly. Thunderstar dipped his head dismissively.

"Then I'll go fetch my apprentice and we can be on our way. Please wait for me at the heather tunnel." Without waiting for a reply, the patch-pelted tom turned and padded across the camp. He stepped softly into the apprentices' den, as not to wake them, and glanced at the sleeping forms of the young cats. He stepped past Gorgepaw and Gullypaw, their curled forms almost as big as warriors'. He reminded himself the speak to their mentors about their naming ceremonies, soon. A cluster of ginger pelts proved to shelter his apprentice. He nudged the ginger and white she-cat awake.

"Asterpaw?" He said. "I'm sorry I didn't get to speak to you, yesterday, but I'm going on patrol this morning. Do you mind joining me?" Internally, he scolded himself. He sounded more like the apprentice the way he asked instead of ordered. He'd remember to be more mentor-ish when they were patrolling later.

Asterpaw lifted her head groggily and nodded. She sat up and ran her tongue over her fur to smooth it before getting to her paws. The leader left the den with his apprentice on his heels and met Calla at the camp entrance.

"All ready?" The tom prompted. The misty-minded apprentice didn't seem to hear him and the white cat nodded nervously. He dipped his head again and led the patrol out of the camp. He led them on a path directly towards the stream beside the camp. The sounds of prey made him twitch his ears every which way, but he was determined to focus on his patrol.

He paused as the clear body of water came into view. "Asterpaw." He meowed. "What can you scent?" He knew it was a bland question to ask, even for a very young 'paw. Still, she seemed happy to please.

"Plenty of prey: mice and water voles, and a rabbit across the way." She paused. "Herbs, like feverfew and barrenwort.. no predators or strange cats." she reported. Her mentor purred.

"Well done, Asterpaw. You have a very good memory with herbs. Have you been helping the medicine cats?" Thunderstar stopped abruptly. He had meant to go on, adding " _while I was gone_ " but immediately knew better.

"A little." she replied shyly, and didn't elaborate.

A sudden movement, a scurrying little body across the ground, made Thunderstar jump. At the same time, the young she-cat pounced at it, but the tiny creature limped away and into the undergrowth.

"Bad luck." the tom muttered, curling his lip. Asterpaw lashed her tail in annoyance. "That was quick thinking, though."

"Is this your border?" Calla asked. "It's awfully close to your camp."

"No, the border is some ways away from here. This place is very rich with prey and not long ago a group of rogues tried to invade our territory… so I make sure that patrols frequent this area for the time being." the leader explained. She nodded slowly. "Seeing as it's secured, I think we ought to go along the forest border as far as the cliff wall and double back to the abandoned badger set. We can get right back to camp from there."

Over the course of the patrol, Thunderstar was happy to feel himself. He let his grief fall to the back of his mind for the time and tested his apprentice's knowledge. Every new scent they came across, he had her identify. It was easy for Asterpaw to determine the herb and cat scents, but she struggled to identify most other animal scents. Once they had come across an old fox trail, still with the harsh scent of fox laced along it, but the ginger tabby had been completely oblivious. Her mentor blamed himself. Her shortcomings were not from a lack of enthusiasm, but a lack of a source to learn from. He was determined to change that.

Calla paid close attention to her surroundings, being mostly unafraid to ask questions when she wanted. She focused less and less on the territory and asked more about clan life. The leader was eager to answer, but deep down a seed of concern lodged itself in his pelt. If she were to spread this knowledge, to leave the clan and forget them, it may be used to hurt them. While ceremonies or sharing tongues may not be useful information against them, rituals like the Night of Lavish may. On a night when all warriors did as they wanted, leaving the camp mostly unprotected, rogues could attack, again. He decided to think carefully on what he told her, and keep some things to himself. He was relieved that Asterpaw seemed to understand this, and added only small comments to what he said. Their patrol turned up nothing besides the old fox trail, and they turned back towards the camp.

A short silence stretched out before Thunderstar interrupted it. "What do you think of the clan? I know you haven't been around very many cats, yet, and you've only now gotten to explore, but." he stopped, purposefully leaving his sentence unfinished.

"I like it, I really do. I've always hated the cats who live together, out there in the unclaimed forest." She jerked her head slightly in the direction of the forest side border. "But you- your cats are different. You actually care for one another. You have a system to keep order. If I could.." she stopped.

"Any cat is welcome in our Clan." Thunderstar meowed, knowing what she was going to say.

"If I could, I'd love to be an addition to your loyal warriors." she purred, glad he understood.

"I'm sure all of ValleyClan would be happy to have you." the leader replied.

"Especially if you have a few stories to tell." Asterpaw chipped in, her whiskers twitching.

"Would you like to have your warrior ceremony today? There's no rush, if not." Thunderstar said. The white she-cat looked ahead for a moment, a thoughtful expression on. He guessed she was sifting through her recent memory to their conversation about ceremonies.

"Would I be given a new name?" she asked, anxiety making her voice sharp.

"Not if you don't want to." he piped up quickly. "Or if you wish, I could just add something to the end of your name. A young warrior, Covetail, and the apprentice, Duskpaw, did that. He and his sister were born kitty-pets but found their way here. They used to be known as Kovu and Dusky. Or you could have a totally new name. The warrior Rabbitleap used to be called Hopper."

"I like the first option." she replied, visibly relaxing. Thunderstar flicked her shoulder with his tail.

"Very well, then. I think we can skip the assessment, seeing as you've taken care of yourself alone up until this point." he meowed. "Would you be comfortable having your ceremony held today?"

"Oh. I guess not. Do I have to memorize anything?" she said. The patchy tom shook his head.

"Just that after the ceremony, you must sit vigil in the camp all night." he held back from mentioning the new code of the Clan.

As a natural quiet fell between them, Thunderstar wondered how Asterpaw was fairing. She had stayed very quiet about the rogue becoming a warrior. He couldn't imagine what was going through her young mind. He glanced at her as casually as he could. Her eyes stared around absently. Perhaps she'd just been too lost in her own thoughts. He remembered having his own petty apprentice problems and stifled a purr. He wished he knew a life that simple, again.

As they arrived at the camp, the sun was half between noon and sunset. About half of the warriors were in camp, back from patrols early or lucky to have a day off. Greenpath, sharing tongues with Covetail by the warriors' den, caught his eye and waved her tail in greeting before continuing her conversation.

"Get something to eat, meet a few other cats. Your warrior ceremony will be held when the sun sets." Thunderstar instructed Calla. She flicked her ears and headed to the fresh-kill pile. Thunderstar watched her go a moment before turning to his apprentice.

"Asterpaw." He meowed.

"Hmm?" Her eyes didn't meet his, still staring at nothing. She really was out of it, today. After a minute she turned slowly to look at him. "Yes, Thunderstar?"

"Er.. I was very impressed, today. You're going to make a good warrior." he praised her. The fuzzy look in her green eyes dissipated, replaced by glee.

"Thank you, Thunderstar!" she purred. He blinked warmly at her.

"I only state the truth." He replied modestly. He regretted sounding so pretentious, but didn't think much of it. "You can do as you wish for the rest of the day, Asterpaw."

"Thank you, Thunderstar." she repeated. She loped towards the apprentices' den, calling her sister's name.

The leader retired to his den, dozing in his nest until the light started to fade outside. He rose to his paws and padded out of his den. Plenty of cats still hung around the clearing, more than before. He wouldn't doubt if word had spread about the ceremony. He didn't bother to wait any longer, clawing his way up the trunk of the old Elm tree. He dug his claws into the worn bark of the low bough and let out the familiar call, summoning his clanmates to the clearing. A few cats came into the clearing, but otherwise the already present cats arranged themselves in a half circle around the tree. The long-furred she-cat sat shyly in the midst of all of them.

"ValleyClan, today we gather to welcome a new cat to our rank of fine warriors." the leader recited. "I have assessed Calla and I believe her to be ready to receive the gift of our warrior ancestors and her new name." He half dropped half slid down the side of the tree and stopped before the she-cat.

"I, Thunderstar, call upon my warriors ancestors to see this cat and give her your blessing to protect and defend her Clan with her life." the leader took a breath, "Calla, do you promise to honor your ancestors, to follow the warrior code, and to care for your Clanmates weaker than you?"

Calla blinked. "Yes."

"I do." Thunderstar whispered. She ducked her head, embarrassed.

"Um, I do." A few cats purred good-naturedly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Calla, from this moment on you will be known as Callaspring. StarClan honors your curiosity and ingenuity, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ValleyClan." The leader bowed to the white cat, his forelegs pressed to the ground and his tail parallel to the ground. Callaspring did the same and then got back to her paws, her head held high.

"Callaspring! Callaspring! Callaspring!" the Clan cheered. Even though few of them knew her at all, they all gathered around and welcomed her with warm purrs and well wishes. Again, the tiny bits of Thunderstar's heart stirred, drawing closer together; perhaps on the mend.

However, the leader didn't want to spend time in the clearing for now. Other cats, much smaller and more fragile, were on his mind. He got to his paws and crossed the clearing to the Nursery. He was just at the entrance when Rabbitleap and Valestorm stopped him.

"Thunderstar." The tuxedo tom called. He and his mate stood before their leader. "Can we talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course. We can talk in my den." he meowed, leading them quickly to his den. It wouldn't be long and the kits would no doubt be asleep. Once inside, he sat carefully in his nest with his tail over his paw. "What do you need?"

"Well, Duckwing is a full warrior of our clan, now.. And we couldn't be more proud of him." Valestorm said measuredly. Thunderstar tilted his head questioningly.

"What is the matter?" he asked. He wasn't in a mood to speak carefully, and the pair seemed relieved by it.

"To be direct, Thunderstar, we would love to have more kits, but.." Rabbitleap started confidently, but that nature quickly dilapidated. "Not that we don't love our kit as he is. But.."

"We're afraid we would put a burden on the clan if we had more blind kits." His mate finished for him. He pressed his flank against her as thanks. Thunderstar felt the gap in himself left by Longwhisker yawn open like a fresh wound. He sighed.

"Any member of the Clan is appreciated." He replied. They nodded knowingly.

"We know, but you must understand." Valestorm meowed. Her soft, solemn eyes met Thunderstar's. He did.

"Duckwing is a great warrior. Any kin of his will be. I as well as the rest of the Clan would welcome fine, new warriors. But the choice is yours'." He stated. The two cats opposite him locked gazes for a minute. The leader knew, now, that he would be too late to visit his kits.

"Thank you, Thunderstar. I don't know why we couldn't convince ourselves of that." Valestorm said. She dipped her head respectively and together, the two cats left the leader's den under the Elm tree.

Left alone, Thunderstar thought about the prophecy. Although he wouldn't call recent events peaceful, no terrible evil had shown it's face. He couldn't imagine what could arise, either. He yawned and wondered why he was so tired. He laid down in his nest and shrugged it all off. Still, it weighed on his mind like his body weighed on the moss underneath him. So much gone wrong, so much gone right. It was a harsh balance of nature he still didn't understand. He wrestled it over and over in his mind until he was too tired to stay awake, falling into an uneasy unconsciousness.


	12. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

The four youngest apprentices surrounded Gorgepaw and Gullypaw in the cool afternoon as the siblings arrived back in camp from their assessments. Their mentors, Glenberry and Ravinefall, went to Thunderstar's den while the pair began shamelessly relishing in their momentary fame among their friends.

"I'm so jealous!" Redpaw whined.

"It's not fair!" Flamepaw grumbled with an underlying purr.

"What do you think your name will be?" Asterpaw queried.

"I guess we'll just have to see." Gorgepaw purred. Gullypaw flicked Flamepaw's flank with her tail tip.

"You'll be joining us soon enough." she told him comfortingly, although a hint of arrogance clung to her words.

"Pfft, I still have forever!" he protested. Gullypaw batted his ear playfully.

"The elders said it's going to snow tonight." Asterpaw commented, looking wearily at the sky. Gorgepaw scoffed at her.

"What do they know?" he replied. The ginger and white apprentice sniffed deftly at him.

"More than you." Redpaw purred. Her sister licked her ear appreciatively.

"All cats of ValleyClan join beneath the Elm tree for a Clan meeting!" The sudden call made all six cats jump. Gorgepaw immediately made his way to the middle of the clearing. Gullypaw passed a warm, excited glance to all of them before following her brother. Duskpaw, Flamepaw, Asterpaw, and Redpaw also exchanged glances before making a line towards the assembling cats. Redpaw settled at the front of the cats, a fox-length away from the soon-to-be warriors. Asterpaw sat on one side of her and Flamepaw sat on the other. Duskpaw sat a few pawsteps away from them all.

A commotion sprung up behind them and most of the cats in the clearing turned to look. Four big, bouncing kits dashed from the nursery. The pretty mottled tabby Brindleflame followed close behind.

"Wait right there!" she commanded, and her kits slowed to a halt halfway across the clearing. Just behind the queen, Greenpath stepped out. Three small kits surrounded her legs. It was hard for Asterpaw to see them as Greenpath's siblings rather than her kits. But it was clear by her broad flanks that she was yet to have her kits.

"Why did I have to get up for this?" one of the little kits squeaked in complaint. It was the little dark tabby, Talonkit. He was already showing himself to be a pain in the tail.

"You should be excited! Someday it'll be us up there!" his sister peeped, her fuzzy tail waving in the air. They began to scuffle as Greenpath and Mistykit chose a spot in the clearing.

"Get over here." the gray tabby meowed in a sweet tone. Asterpaw didn't know how she had such patience for the stubborn kits. Freezekit spun skillfully out of her brother's clumsy grip and ran towards her older sister. Talonkit scrambled to his feet and followed.

No longer distracted, the cats turned back to the big tree towering above them. The leader sat patiently, awaiting their attention. He was in no hurry to silence his kin. Having all of their eyes, now, even the obnoxious kits, he stood on the low bough of the tree.

"Cats of ValleyClan, we are gathered today to introduce two fine young cats to our rank of warriors." he yowled. "Ravinefall. You are Gorgepaw's mentor. Is he ready to receive his warrior name?"

The dark tabby allowed a rare streak of pride to enter her voice as she responded, "Most definitely."

"Glenberry, you have mentored Gullypaw. Is she ready to receive the responsibilities of a warrior?"

"Of course she is." Unlike Ravinefall, she did nothing to disguise her feelings towards her apprentice. Thunderstar dipped his head and leaped from the Elm tree.

"Then I, Thunderstar, call upon my warriors ancestors to see these apprentices and give them your blessing to protect and defend their Clan with their lives." the leader took a breath, "Gorgepaw, do you promise to honor your ancestors, to follow the warrior code, and to care for your Clanmates weaker than you?"

For once, the bulky apprentice seemed humbled as he meowed, "I do."

"Gullypaw, do you promise to do the same?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Gorgepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Gorgeclaw. StarClan honors your strength and skill in battle. Gullypaw, from this moment you will be known as Gullydawn. Starclan honors your cleverness and stealth. We welcome you both as full warriors of ValleyClan." The leader bowed to the new warriors, his tail raised high. The siblings did the same as their clanmates began to cheer their names.

"Gorgeclaw! Gullydawn! Gorgeclaw! Gullydawn!" The chant rose in the voices of their friends and family. The cats pressed around them, purring congratulations. The mass of cats pushed Asterpaw back quickly, leaving her at the back. She wasn't upset though, purring as she watched her former den-mates. Suddenly she noticed that a few cats had already left. She noted two white cats as missing. She looked away from the majority of her clanmates. Two cats were headed towards the camp entrance: Strathfang and Calla spring. Something about the way the black tom stuck close to her side, his ears twitching, made him seem uneasy. Near the apprentices' den, Duckwing and Duskpaw sat side by side, talking. Asterpaw was just glad they could talk, again. She was afraid they had had a falling out.

"I'm _sooo_ ready to be a warrior!" Redpaw whined beside her. Asterpaw's whiskers twitched.

"Who isn't? Every kit is ready to be an apprentice, every apprentice is ready to be a warrior-"

"Every warrior is ready to be an elder." A voice interrupted. The young cats purred as Runningwillow passed on his way towards the warriors' den.

"See?" Asterpaw asked. Redpaw just shook her head, turning and walking away.

"Good luck with the snow tonight." she yowled over her shoulder to the two new warriors. Asterpaw rolled her eyes and followed her, slipping into their den.

* * *

A sudden chill ran up Asterpaw's spine and she woke up, shivering. A biting cold lay just outside of the den walls, and with two less bodies to warm the den, the freezing wind lashed its merciless claws at her back. She curled up tighter, pressing herself against Redpaw, but she knew the sun would be up soon enough, and so would she need to be.

"Do you think it snowed on them?" Redpaw purred in a groggy morning voice. Asterpaw returned the warm greeting. Reluctantly, she uncurled and sat up, her maw stretching wide in a yawn. Redpaw followed suit, then Flamepaw after her. Duskpaw was nowhere to be found in the den.

"Is Duskpaw an owl or am I a hedgehog?" Asterpaw queried.

"She may be." Redpaw replied temperately, as she bowed, stretching.

"I don't understand what could be so important that she misses sleep." Flamepaw remarked. Sleep still blurred his eyes.

"If she can keep up her apprentice duties and do all of that, I envy her." Asterpaw said. She pressed out of the den.

As the elders had said, the clearing was covered in a layer of white powdery stuff. _This must be snow,_ Asterpaw thought, having never seen it before. She stretched out a paw and carefully prodded it testily. It was bitingly cold, and she jerked her leg back and away from it.

"I have to walk all Leaf-bare in this stuff?" she grumbled to herself. Redpaw head-buted her back leg.

"I wanna see! Move out of the way." she growled. Asterpaw obeyed, reluctantly hopping from paw to paw over the snow, alternating paws at the edge of the clearing. "Whoa." her sister whispered. Asterpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement, although she had reacted the same way just a moment ago. Behind Redpaw, Flamepaw came out of the den, staring blindly at the white drifts.

"Great StarClan, look at Gullyp-er, Gullystorm and Gorgeclaw." Redpaw crowed. The trio hopped across the clearing to the powdery pair. Snow piled around them against their sides. A thinner layer dusted their fur, which they shook off best they could when the apprentices approached. A similar grimace masked their faces, and since they couldn't talk they sat there that way. "It must have been terrible to stay awake out here, in the cold. It was lovely warm in the den last night."

"It'll be twice as warm in the warriors' den for them, then." Thunderstar called across the clearing. He strode across, mindless of the snow, and touched his nose to both new warriors' ear. "Your vigil is over, you can rest, now."

"Th-thank you, Thunderstar." Gullystorm dipped her head, her teeth chattering. Gorgeclaw just dipped his head and they left for their new den.

As they entered, most of the warriors exited. Duskpaw and Duckwing snuck through the camp entrance. Duskpaw sat beside Asterpaw, blinking sleep from her eyes. Strathfang, Rivertail, and Callaspring left the medicine den. The black tom approached his brother and the apprentices.

"You know she can sleep in the warriors' den, now." Thunderstar murmured into his brother's ear. The shredded flesh twitched but otherwise, he ignored him.

"Redpaw, Asterpaw, and Duskpaw. Can you three check the elders for ticks and fleas? With the three of you, you can get it done in no time." the medicine cat meowed. Just then, Duskpaw's mentor, Elderpelt, walked by.

"I need Duskpaw for a hunting patrol this morning." He said in his gravely, uninterested voice. Asterpaw yawned. Just hearing him made her sleepy, again.

"Can't it wait?" Duckwing interjected, stopping on his way to the fresh-kill pile (not that you could actually see it under the snow). The older tom scowled at him.

"Just because you moon over my apprentice-"

"Elderpelt!" Thunderstar growled, stepping between the two. The surrounding cats seemed surprised he showed any authority against the older, likely wiser tom. "If you need to go on this patrol so badly, now, you can take Duckwing with you. More cats catch more prey." The tabby stared for a long moment at Thunderstar through slitted eyes. He said nothing, but flicked his tail, signalling the two to follow. They left the camp silently.

"Right." Strathfang said mutedly. "Flamepaw, you can help Asterpaw and Redpaw, then. Follow me, I have mouse bile in my den."

* * *

The apprentices had completed their task and left the elders' den when Ravinefall had asked them to hunt for the old cats. With the sudden cold and snowfall, most of the prey were hidden deep in their dens, and it took them nearly the rest of the day to find enough to satisfy the three cats' hunger.

"You'll never defeat me! I am the leader of RayClan!" As they entered the camp, they saw a familiar bunch of kits playing in the clearing. A small spot had been cleared of snow near the nursery for them to play. Creakkit, Ravenkit, Mistykit, and Freezekit were on one side and Talonkit, Stonekit, and Amberkit were on the other. Creakkit had been the one to call out.

"What's RayClan?" Redpaw asked, padding up to the assembly of kits. Creakkit turned to her, a wild light in his eyes, his fluffy fur sticking up everywhere.

"It's a Clan we made up! Everybody was sick of playing rogues and Clan cats and nobody wanted to be a dirty rogue, anyway, so we made up a rival Clan! Pretty cool right?" he purred. Redpaw purred back.

"Very clever." she meowed. Just then, Greenpath pressed through the Nursery entrance.

" _Brrrrr!_ " her entire plump body shuttered with the chill. "It's much too cold. You kits will freeze if you stay out much longer. Come on-don't pout, Freezekit, I can see you shiver from here." With plaintive mews, the crowd of little cats filed into the nursery.

"It's much too crowded in here, now!" Creakkit complained loudly as he went. "And there's nothing to do."

Asterpaw glanced at Redpaw and she knew they had the same idea. Asterpaw stepped toward the barrier wall of the camp, grabbing some burrs carefully in her teeth from its assortment of plants. Redpaw stepped into the nursery, followed by Asterpaw, and finally Flamepaw. Inside, Brindleflame's kits scuffled all about the nursery, while Greenpath's young siblings sheltered in the safety of her body. The four restless little toms bounced from one wall to the other haphazardly. Occassionally, the expecting tabby queen batted irritatedly at them as they came to close for her liking.

"Hey, kits!" Redpaw meowed. Their attention shot momentarily at the ginger she-cat. "We've a game for you. We used to play it when we couldn't go outside." On that cue, Asterpaw reached up on her hind legs and began catching the burrs to the elder bush's branches. Flamepaw started to explain the game.

"Its really easy. Whoever can get the highest burr wins." He said. The bored kits seemed interested enough, and Creakkit bounded a short distance before leaping upwards, snagging a burr midway up the wall.

"It's harder than it looks!" He puffed, his small chest swelling as his breathing quickened. He batted the burr half-heartedly. "Someone else try!" Asterpaw's whiskers twitched and she took the burr back, hanging it somewhere new on the wall.


	13. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

The next day, Asterpaw had the morning off. She spent her valuable free time getting a little extra sleep and eating. Redpaw left early on a hunting patrol with Flamepaw and their mentors. Sooner than she thought, Thunderstar, Duckwing, and Covetail were ready to leave and she had no choice but to go with them. She padded lazily toward them, taking all the time she could before she had to rush out of camp into the frigid forest.

"Is going on patrol _that_ terrible?" Covetail purred. Asterpaw shrugged and stared at her paws, a little embarrassed he saw through her so easily. "I hope I'm not old and boring, already." he added, and she let her whiskers twitch cheerfully.

Without another word, the patrol pushed through the snow-dusted heather tunnel and into the forest. Thunderstar fell naturally into the lead, Covetail just behind him, and Duckwing and Asterpaw side by side at the rear. As her head really began to wake up, Asterpaw wondered what Duckwing and Duskpaw had been doing out all night, before. The question burned on her tongue and she had to fight herself not to blurt it out. She found literally biting her tongue was the only thing that helped, and she hoped no one noticed.

"How is your training coming along?" Duckwing asked in a quiet voice, so that the toms ahead of them would not hear. Asterpaw swallowed hard, wishing she could swallow her tongue.

"Good." she croaked out. Now she hoped she just sounded normal.

"Nothing that interesting to you?" He meowed curiously. She swallowed, again.

"I'm a really good hunter, I'm told, and I like to do it." she offered meekly. Then she added, "I have some trouble battle training, though. I get really scared, even when I know it's fake."

The young warrior nodded compassionately. He opened his mouth to speak when suddenly he stumbled, and the cats ahead of them halted and turned to look at him. Asterpaw had almost forgotten he was blind, at all.

"Ouch." he coughed, dragging himself to his feet.

"I'm so sorry, Duckwing! I should have said something - there was a stick in the path and I didn't even think-"

"It's not your fault, Asterpaw." he said in a straining voice. He shook himself roughly, dislodging a collection of snowflakes from his pelt.

"Are you alright? You can return to camp if you need to." Thunderstar meowed. The white tom shook his head.

"I'm fine. My paw might have a bit of a bruise later, but I'll manage." he assured, giving himself another shake. The patrol went on at a slightly slower pace. As they went farther along the forest border, a strange droning sound entered the air. It drew nearer as they went.

"I'm not the only one hearing that, am I?" Covetail meowed cautiously. Thunderstar halted.

"I hear it, too. It's coming from across the border." he replied.

"What is it?" Asterpaw asked, fear evident in her voice. Her ears swiveled at the sound.

"I'm not sure. I think it would be smart to investigate." her mentor said. The other cats agreed.

Quietly, watchfully, the patrol crossed the border, following the sound as they went. As they drew closer, it became a terrible, loud rumbling, like the growling of a giant beast. The fur along Asterpaw's spine rose, and her tail fluffed up to twice its normal size. Duckwing walked near her, his pelt brushing hers to comfort her. Her fur flattened some.

As they came out of a long, shallow divot in the ground, a scene unfolded before them. Two-legs stood around, covered in bright pelts. Some did nothing while others waved their arms and yowled at each other, but the voices were drowned out by the terrible growling. Fallen trees lay here and there around them, still fresh under their hard bark. The cats could finally see what made the noise. A giant yellow thing moved slowly, sluggishly with one misshapen arm in the middle of its body. It had no legs or head, only the arm, body, and strange, oblong things underneath it that rolled over and over to move it. The reflection off of its pelt was almost blinding with the sun on its back. The scent it let off was so strong they could smell it pungently from where they stood and Asterpaw gagged, struggling not to vomit.

"What _is_ that thing?" she meowed, panicked. Thunderstar crouched down and the rest followed quickly.

"My father showed me one once.. Near the two-leg plants. It was different-looking but it was like this.. He called it a monster, and said two-legs rode in the bellies of the smaller kind." he explained calmly, although he looked just as bewildered.

"What is it doing?" Asterpaw continued, but her words were not heard by the others, a terrible cracking of bark and wood filling the air. They watched in terror as the big monster pressed against a thin birch tree, looking just in time to see it rush towards the ground.

The noise fell away for a moment and Thunderstar was able to be heard, "I think we've seen enough. I think returning to camp would be best." The patrol agreed quickly and they left as swiftly as they could, hopefully unnoticed. Once they were far away enough that the growling monster, Thunderstar continued. "I would appreciate if all of you kept this to yourselves, for now. I don't want needless worry in the Clan. I will talk with my deputy and senior warriors and decide what to do. If you hear the noise on another patrol or hear about it from other cats, tell them it's a stray two-leg messing around in the forest."

"Will do."

"Of course, Thunderstar."

Asterpaw stayed silent. She didn't know what, if it was the terrible scent still in her nose or the painful rumble in her ears, but she felt sick. It wasn't just the type of sick that could be cured by herbs. It was something that made her feel like something terrible was going on. She thought back to the day Thunderstar left for the Star Cave. She'd heard a rumor that he'd had a bad feeling about leaving. That somehow he knew what would happen to his mate just after his departure. Asterpaw hoped the rumor was a lie. She hoped the feeling in her stomach was just fumes. She never wanted to be normal more in her life. Nothing else was said as they made their way back.

Arriving back in camp, they all seemed to come back down to earth.

"Remember, keep this to yourselves." Thunderstar repeated. The young toms nodded their heads, and Asterpaw again outwardly ignored him. She walked numbly towards the apprentices' den. That sick feeling still lingered in her gut. She brushed the fronds away with her muzzle to see a red form sprawled on the ground. She couldn't see the flank rise or fall and she dove forward, on top of it.

"Redpaw!" she cried, her green pupils tiny shards of fear.

"Ouch!" she coughed, blowing more air than words.

"Thank StarClan! You scared me." Asterpaw sighed, stepping back and off of her sister.

"Did you think I was just lying here dead as a lost dog?" Redpaw replied with twitching whiskers. Asterpaw grew quiet. "You did." Redpaw meowed discontentedly. She got to her paws and licked Asterpaw in the middle of the forehead. "What made you think such a thing?"

Asterpaw opened her mouth, taking a breath, then closed it, again. She was about to say something about the tree monster and the two-legs. She knew she couldn't say anything. Unfortunately for her, Redpaw knew her all too well. As soon as she bit her tongue, Redpaw knew her sister had a story to tell.

"What happened?!" A spark of interest brightened her eyes. She loved gossip as much as her kin. Reluctantly, Asterpaw quickly explained what happened on the patrol to her. "Oh wow!" she said when Asterpaw finished. "You _have_ to show me!"

"No way!" Her sister protested. "I promised Thunderstar I'd never tell; and it's dangerous! You know we can't trust two-legs. Leaving the territory makes it even worse! I can't put you in danger like that!" Asterpaw struggled to keep her voice low, relieved no other cats were in the den with them.

"It won't be dangerous at night." Redpaw pointed out. Her eye glinted mischievously.

"It would be more dangerous!" Asterpaw protested. Her voice began to raise.

"Not at all. No cats would be around to see, and the two-legs would go to sleep. Probably the monster, too." Redpaw meowed cleverly. Asterpaw was still uncertain. "C'mon, it'll be really cool. Getting close to a monster when it's defenseless.. We can brag for moons. Maybe our whole lives! It'd be really cool to have an apprentice and be able to tell them you stalked a monster when you were their age?"

"No!" Asterpaw's voice cracked, and she lowered it, again. "No. They'd want to do the same, then, and put themselves in danger."

"Then consider it bonding time, a secret between us sisters." Redpaw purred soothingly. She touched Asterpaw's flank with her tail tip. Asterpaw didn't brush it away.

"I'm sorry, Redpaw. No." she stated, her mind made up.

"Fine." Redpaw muttered. Asterpaw ignored her and walked out of the den. She walked across the clearing, suddenly feeling weak. Her legs trembled slightly as she bent down to pick a thrush from the fresh-kill pile. She padded back to the den and lay down in front of it, chewing thoughtfully on the bird. She saw Thunderstar outside of his den with Ravinefall, Runningwillow, Elderpelt, Rivertail, Strathfang, and Callaspring. She wished she could hear them, but she was much too far away.

* * *

"... it was knocking trees down. I can't figure out why." Thunderstar finished. The cats surrounding him exchanged glances.

"Do you know much about two-legs, Callaspring?" Strathfang asked the she-cat. She looked past them all thoughtfully for a moment before she answered.

"I know more than most cats, as far as I know. Mostly useless things. I've never heard of them attacking a forest. When I was- around two-leg dens, they paid a lot of attention to the plants that grew around them. There were very few trees, though. I never saw them destroy any." she replied carefully.

"Two-legs will do as they want." Elderpelt grunted.

"You may have been too young to remember." Runningwillow began, looking to Thunderstar, "but there was a time when a group of two-legs came into our territory. They stayed for days and drove prey away. Cliffstar was afraid they would take over the entire forest. Thankfully, they left after half a moon. I'm not sure if these are the same ones, but I don't think we should worry about them, either."

"Still, all patrols should check that border thoroughly, and no one should leave camp alone." Ravinefall meowed.

"I agree." her father said. "I don't think it's urgent enough to warrant a clan meeting. Ravinefall, tell any cat that goes on patrol to watch for two-legs. If they hang around much longer, I'll bring it up to everyone. I'll also tell the queens to keep the kits in camp with them."

The small group disbanded and Thunderstar headed straight to the nursery. Stepping inside, he knew immediately there were more than just the tennant cats inside. Amongst the crowd of kits, a small tom curled up behind Greenpath. Thunderstar sniffed, half amused and half annoyed.

"Covetail." he said in greeting. The pointed tom got quickly to his feet, stepping away from the leader's daughter.

"Th-thunderstar!" he dipped his head in return, poorly hiding his surprise. He stared at his paws dedicatedly.

"Greenpath, Brindleflame, may I have a moment with you two?" the leader asked, his tone measured. The queens mewed their agreement and sat in front of him, side by side. "If you could, please keep the kits in camp for now. There have been two-legs in the forest. They haven't crossed into our territory, but I want to keep our future warriors safe." he told them.

"Of course we can, Thunderstar." Brindleflame purred reassuringly.

"You can count on us." Greenpath replied. Her voice sounded strange to her father. He knew her too well not to see right through her facade. Covetail must have already told her. The young warrior was loyal, but bad with secrets. He'd have to keep it in mind for the future.

"Thank you." he dipped his head. He turned to leave when three tabby kits tackled him.

"Father!" the she-kit cried. She kneaded his chest happily.

"Pinned you!" a tom crowed. The brown tabby said nothing, his small, needle teeth fastened in Thunderstar's foreleg.

"I'm no match for these fine fighters!" the patchy tom cried dramatically. The littermates purred and tumbled off of him.

"You should come see us more, Father!" the she-kit whimpered. She rubbed her head against his leg.

"Leading a Clan takes a lot of my time, Freezekit." he said, obviously repeating himself for the nth time.

"Sounds familiar." Greenpath piped in. Her tone was sharp, even with her soft voice. Thunderstar looked away.

"Alright." he mewed with a sigh. "Tell you what. Tomorrow Asterpaw can train with Redpaw and her mentor and I'll spend all day with the three of you-and Greenpath, if she wants."

"Yay!" the three cheered with glee. They tried to tackle him, again, but he slipped away like a fish and left, again. This time, there were no complaints.

Thunderstar stopped just outside the nursery for a moment. He felt his stomach grumble and he padded across the clearing. He picked a squirrel out of the pile and decided to eat with some of his warriors. Eating alone would only feed the void he could still feel nagging inside of his chest. Always, no matter what he was doing, he would feel the occasional stab of remembrance. He shook it off as he had a dozen times before and saw his brother going back to the medicine den. He decided it would be better to eat with him, instead, and followed.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked Rivertail and Strathfang. For once, Callaspring was not by his side.

"Not at all." the she-cat purred. She had a half-eaten mouse at her paws while Strathfang had a plumb vole. Thunderstar sat beside them and started into his squirrel.

"We do have plenty of catmint, don't we?" Rivertail asked around a mouthful.

"Yes. You've asked me thrice, already." Strathfang groaned. He rolled the vole away from him with a paw. He must have lost his appetite. Rivertail looked irritated, ready to respond when a cat arrived.

"Er.. Rivertail?" Duckwing stepped tentatively into the small clearing. The she-cat got to her feet.

"What is it?" concern filled her voice instantly.

"Um.. Can I speak to you alone?" he asked. His voice was strangled, as if it hurt to speak. The she-cat nodded and quickly the two left. A silence passed over the remaining toms.

"Well, that was strange." Strathfang muttered, breaking the silence.

"You could say that again." Thunderstar huffed uncomfortably.

"Well, that was strange." he repeated. His brother gave him a look. The two ate quickly and without saying much more. The sun was going down, and Thunderstar was quite alright with spending some time alone, now. He stood and buried the bones of his prey before returning to his den. To his surprise, two cats waited for him inside the den. Duckwing and Rivertail looked at him as he entered. Duckwing turned back to the medicine cat.

"I'm sorry, it's not my place to tell him." Duckwing mewed, and pushed past his leader. Thunderstar watched him go before he turned back to Rivertail.

"What secrets are we sharing?" he joked. However, seeing her face, he realized it was not a subject to joke about. He listened patiently as she repeated what the white cat had just told her.

"I don't.. this can't be true." Thunderstar muttered darkly. "Are you sure?"

Rivertail sighed. "How could I? I haven't seen her in the time I talked to you and Duckwing." she responded, annoyed.

"Then I will not consider punishment until this is confirmed. Please, if you don't mind, speak to her about it. I don't like throwing around accusations. Tell me as soon as you can what is really happening."

"I'm as eager as you are, Thunderstar." Rivertail meowed in farewell as she left the den, brushing past the tom. He collapsed into his nest, letting all the air in his body escape. He breathed again, feeling weighed down.

"StarClan, give me strength."


	14. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

"All cats of ValleyClan join beneath the Elm tree for a Clan meeting!" the words were becoming too familiar on Thunderstar's tongue. As he stood, claws embedded in the familiar bark of the Elm, he couldn't stop a shutter from creeping up his spine. Although he'd gotten a full night's sleep for once, he felt as tired as when he had closed his eyes. The two-legs had not left. Worse, they were advancing in their tree-tearing. Rivertail had gotten back to him with definite information and he had more thoughts than words.

Trying to calm himself, he focused on his surroundings. It was later in the morning, but it was starting to warm up. The snow had begun to melt and the air was filled with the scent of a fresh world. He could smell the damp soil underneath him, even from the tree branch. When it got quiet, his ears could just detect the little burbles of the stream not far from camp.

He refocused on the clearing before him. Cats were sweeping slush away with their tails, so that they could sit on relatively dry ground. Everyone was present in camp. Ravinefall had seen to that. Thunderstar had little more time to stall as the full assembly of eyes stared up at him expectantly. He swallowed, even though his mouth was too dry to do so. Finally, he was sure they would wait no longer, and forced a strangled meow from his jaws.

"Cats of ValleyClan.." he began, "a few days ago, the dawn patrol discovered a gathering of two-legs outside of our territory. We do not know what they are doing, but part of it includes tearing down trees. Until they leave, no cat is to leave camp alone. It goes without saying, but stay inside the territory." The cats below began to disband.

"Wait." he said, but his voice was not raised, almost afraid to stop them. Still, they heard him and many tilted their heads. "There is something else I must do."

Their gazes turned on one another. He knew they were trying to think: is a kit old enough to be apprenticed? Is a warrior transitioning to elder? Any ceremony or announcement they were used to; but this would be nothing they had ever heard, before.

"Thunderstar, what is it?" Runningwillow's voice stood out clearly among the whispers and muttering.

"I.." he took a deep breath. "Duskpaw. Come forward."

A wave of surprise passed through the crowd. Even the apprentice herself seemed to be, looking very small as she separated herself from the rest. She stood very uneasily, half-crouched so that she looked meeker than she already was. He could not catch her eye but she looked resolute, ready for what was to come. Thunderstar did not jump down from his rightful perch.

"Duskpaw has broken a part of the Warrior Code I have never heard of being broken." he ignored the immediate burst of questions from the cats below, yowling above their clamor. "Duskpaw has chosen a mate before receiving her warrior name!"

Now a real uproar began. He could not raise his voice high enough to outspeak them, so he let their distaste erupt. Duskpaw's fur began to spike up and her icy blue eyes were wide, the pupils splinters. Perhaps she was never as calm as she had looked. The chatter began to die down, until only three voices were heard making their last proclamations.

"She couldn't have!" Covetail protested fiercely.

"That's not true!" Duckwing cried, leaping to his paws.

"Do you know who it is?" Elderpelt called calmly.

Thunderstar just lowered his head, meeting his older medicine cat's eyes. "Rivertail, can you attest to my claims?" he prompted.

"Yes, Thunderstar." she stated, blank-faced. Her eyes refused to meet another cat's.

"That's not what I said!" Duckwing yowled again, desperate. Duskpaw looked back at him in disbelief.

"Then I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down and show pity on this apprentice. For the crime of choosing a mate before she has become a warrior, Duskpaw will not receive her warrior name. For the foreseeable future, she will not be honored by StarClan as a full warrior of ValleyClan and may not serve her Clan as such. The Clan meeting is over." he stayed where he was in the Elm's boughs, distancing himself from his clanmates. Many of them were still confused or even angry, and he was unsettled that he thought he may not be able to trust himself around them.

He wished he hadn't had to do it, but he had no idea what else he could have done. It was still a mystery why Duskpaw would do such a thing. Of all the apprentices, she seemed the most level-headed. His previously broken heart cracked a bit as she sprinted from the camp, her head down shamefully.

"Duskpaw, wait, please!" Duckwing screeched, pelting after her. _I have to do something to let her redeem herself._ he determined. _And talk to Duckwing about all this._ As the angry mob below dissipated, departing on patrols and gossiping in their dens, he finally dropped down into the clearing. He didn't wait to be approached, gunning it straight to the nursery. He was temporarily relieved of his concerns by the calm darkness inside.

"True to his word, as I told you." Greenpath purred from the gloom. He touched his nose to her's, misjudging the distance and bumping into her, but she only purred fiercer.

"I was never up this early when I was young." he meowed, mocking annoyance. He realized after a moment that that wasn't very true. Often times, Strathfang woke him up for some stupid thing or other, chasing beetles or sneaking out of camp. He was glad this litter seemed fairly obedient so far.

"What took you so long?" Talonkit growled, distempered. Thunderstar went to give him an apologetic lick on the forehead, but he shrunk away.

"Leading a clan-"

"We _know._ " the tiny tabby puffed disheartenedly.

"It's okay, we understand." Freezekit amended. Thunderstar blinked warmly at her. She would be a great peace keeper when she was older.

"We have an entire day, still, to do things. We should get started." Mistykit piped.

"Right. I have a lot of games planned for us."

* * *

Asterpaw was startled by her mentor once again. She couldn't believe her ears when she heard him. _Duskpaw_.. How could she? She had spent so long training hard, enduring an apparently harsh mentor and unfamiliarity with Clan life. Despite her disadvantages, she had seemed to fair fine, at least as far as anyone could tell. One thing stuck out like a splinter in Asterpaw's thoughts: the time she had spent out at night, with Duckwing. Could the two have really.. It still seemed implausible. Duckwing and Duskpaw were respectable cats. They knew the Warrior Code as well as anyone, and they had always respected it. There was something no one knew, yet, and Asterpaw felt an itch in her fur that drove her to find out.

"Asterpaw!" Valestorm prompted impatiently. The apprentice tilted her head.

"What..?"

"I asked you to tell me what prey you can scent here."

"Oh. Sorry, one second.." Valestorm huffed impatiently as she shifted on all fours, anticipating Asterpaw's reply. "There's a squirrel in that oak tree behind you. It ran up when our scent blew over from by the stream. There were some mice nearby but.. we scared them away, too."

"And that wouldn't have happened if you had half a brain these days. Asterpaw, you need to _focus!_ You're turning out just like-" Valestorm stopped immediately. "Well, get your act together. There's only so much time before you become a warrior. We need capable cats among our ranks."

"Yes, Valestorm." she muttered. Redpaw flicked her tail to her sister's flank.

"You're not _usually_ like this." she whispered sympathetically. "Things have never been like this before.." Asterpaw nodded numbly.

The patrol ventured on, closer to the border. A rabbit practically hopped into their path and Redpaw dispatched it quickly, although her paw slipped as she leaped and she almost missed it. Valestorm was critiquing her on her technique when the rustling of leaves behind them drew Asterpaw's attention. Two creatures, much larger than cats, were shuffling in their direction.

"Two-legs!" she meowed in warning before ducking under a holly bush. Valestorm took off up a nearby tree and Redpaw dove into a patch of ferns. From their hiding spots, they peered out at the upright beings. They stopped several fox-lengths away from them, assuring they wouldn't find the cats. They began making noise, gesturing with a paw here or there, shaking their heads vigorously. They seemed to disagree often, but neither lashed out violently. The patrol stared in fascination and fear for an extended period before the two-legs started to leave. Asterpaw was relieved until she saw a bulky ginger body streak right into the two-legs' path.

"Elderpelt!?" Valestorm's whisper of disbelief reached Asterpaw's ears. The two-legs didn't seem to take much notice, only yowling something after the straying Elderpelt. They continued on their way and soon they were out of sight.

Valestorm dropped down from the tree, landing on all fours. Redpaw stepped out beside her and after a moment, Asterpaw revealed herself also. The warrior was obviously livid, storming away in the direction Elderpelt had taken off. She didn't look back as she instructed the apprentices.

"Return back to camp. Tell Thunderstar Elderpelt directly disobeyed his orders and was wondering about by himself." with that, she sped up until she was sprinting away.

"I don't remember Clan life being so strange." Redpaw meowed. "Go figure." They began walking back towards camp and Redpaw picked up her rabbit.

"I know you wanna talk about Duskpaw." she uttered around her prey.

"I do. I don't know what to say, though. Everyone must be thinking the same thing: Duckwing and Duskpaw.. and who can believe it?"

"Cats are surprising. You never know what they might do. Not to be blunt, but.. we didn't know mother and father were going to leave." Redpaw replied, her tone measured. No matter the passing time, the subject would always be touchy between the sisters.

"I guess so; it's not like they didn't kind of hint at it, though."

"Are you crazy? What are you talking about?" Redpaw scoffed.

"Red never liked it here. He only lived in the clan because of Emberpelt. Once she started getting fed up with Thunderstar, I guess it was obvious. It's just we were too young, and we didn't pay much attention ya know?" Asterpaw explained. Redpaw set down her rabbit.

"We should catch something else. Coming back with just this rabbit is mouse-brained." Redpaw meowed. She sounded uncharacteristically upset by the idea.

"I guess. With the snow melting away, I don't doubt there will be plenty of prey still about." Asterpaw said.

Without another word, Redpaw kicked a bit of earth over the rabbit and they padded quietly towards a bunching of ferns and brambles. Redpaw scented the air, parting her jaws slightly to absorb all the information she could.

"Mice." she purred quietly. Asterpaw licked her lips, wishing they could eat them, now. But they must save what they catch for their clanmates before they can touch a scrap.

She pricked her ears, swiveling them expertly to pinpoint the rodents. One scuffled in the shade of a frond of fern, almost undetectable with its well-blending pelt. Another was crouched under a dead leaf. It's tiny pulsing heart was the only move it seemed to make.

"Fern or leaf?" Asterpaw breathed, almost inaudible to Redpaw.

"Leaf." she whispered back. Asterpaw nodded the tiniest of nods and moved smoothly forward. She kept her soft green eyes wide, trained on the sporadic little gray animal. Everything else in the world fell away, except for the jerk of the mouse's strange paws rubbing over its ears. As she drew closer, she held her breath. She was barely aware of it, slowly halting and beginning to wriggle her haunches. Just another second, and-

A squeak drove into the air and before it could get away, Asterpaw leaped in one fluid movement, landing her paws squarely on their target. The mouse wriggled vainly for a split second before the she-cat's jaws closed on its neck and the life left its little warm body. Lifting her head, she tried not to look proud of the still-warm prey in her jaws. She looked over her shoulder at Redpaw.

"What was that noise about?" she muttered around the rodent. Redpaw looked down bashfully. The body at her paws was spotted in a few places with red.

"I slipped, again, and I didn't want to miss it, so I stuck a paw out and used my claws to get it. I know it was messy, but any prey is better than none." she meowed sheepishly.

"Between you and me I think we might make one fine warrior." Asterpaw purred good humoredly. "With my battle skill and your hunting, we'll be fine warriors right?"

"Sure thing." Redpaw purred in return. "Let's snag my rabbit, again, and get back to camp."

As they snatched the rabbit and kept on their way back home, the mystery about Duskpaw reentered Asterpaw's thoughts. She _had_ to find out more. There must be more to know. For her own sanity as much as Duskpaw's sake, she had to. She wondered where she should start, and the answer was as clear as the sky in Green-leaf: Duckwing.


	15. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

"Duskpaw, wait!" Duckwing's desperate cry followed her as she ran. She didn't stop, running as fast as she could out of camp. This couldn't be. She had finally gotten to talk to Duckwing again, felt that they really were close.. and he betrayed her the next morning. The feeling deep inside of her was like nothing she had ever felt. There was only one word for it: _wrong_. She hadn't paid attention to where she ran, she just did. The frigid air ignored her pelt and froze her to the bone. The clouded sky lent her no light to see by. Her mind began to focus again as Duckwing caught up to her. He kicked up twigs and leaves haphazardly as he pelted after her, unable to see what blocked his way.

"Duskpaw, please!" he cried. "You talked to her! You know I'd never tell them.. I just wanted you to be safe!" the sadness she heard in his voice almost made her feel bad. Maybe he was telling the truth…

It didn't matter. Something he should never have done had just ruined her life. She may not have been born to be a warrior, but she had wanted so much to make her brother proud. The way he stared at her after what Thunderstar said; the thought of it sliced her open like a claw and made her feel gutted and lied about. She shuttered and leaped, shimmying up a tree trunk to the lowest branch. She crouched panting on the low bough. The cold wind dug into her skin through her summer-thin pelt.

"I was trying to protect you!" Duckwing puffed, slowing down and standing at the base of the tree. His wide blue eyes stared around, desperate to find her even though it was useless for a cat such as him to do so. His breath pumped relentlessly from his stinging nose, struggling to calm himself after the dash. "P-please.. I thought you would tell her.. that you trusted her enough to help you, to help other cats."

 _How would it help anyone?_ she scoffed to herself. Duckwing responded as if he could hear her. Maybe he had.

"You know it won't stop with you. Someone else will be treated like you were. I don't want that to happen." he meowed. What he said afterwards was barely audible, just a whisper from the tree branch. "I wish none of this ever had."

Duskpaw stayed silent, closing her eyes. Duckwing didn't say anymore, and after awhile, with no reply to tell him where she was, he turned and left. The way his tail trailed on the ground told her all she needed to know. She wished she could believe him; but it just couldn't be true. She'd never trust a cat to keep a secret, again.

* * *

After some time alone to calm down, Duskpaw had no choice but to return to camp. It was much too cold to stay out long. Besides, if she would never become a warrior, there was no point to apprentice training, and no chance she was going to be made to take care of a Clan that treated her as a lawbreaker.

She walked as slowly as she could, avoiding the commonly used paths the patrols took. She even veered off and walked aimlessly for a bit, but inevitably she arrived at the heather tunnel. She stepped through it with paws of stone. Few cats were still around. Mostly the kits and queens. Still, the looks of pity from Brindleflame and Greenpath were unbearable. She went quickly towards the apprentices' den but stopped just outside. Would she sleep here anymore? She didn't know and wasn't willing to test the idea at the moment. Instead, she crouched in a small space between the camp wall and the back of the den. Thankfully, it was warm enough if she curled up tightly.

"Greetings, Duskpaw." the apprentice was so lost in her hopeless thoughts that she jumped when a cat approached her. It was Callaspring.

"Oh-hi." she murmured. The white she-cat purred sympathetically.

"I know you Clanborn cats speak so formally but I'm no good at that-so I'll just say what I want to say and I'll leave you alone."

"I'm not Clanborn." Duskpaw retorted, and then didn't really mean what she said. "But okay."

"I'm sorry for what happened. I don't know the warrior code or what's really going on most of the time but I know you must feel wretched. If you want, you can share my nest with me. Strathfang lets me sleep outside of the medicine cats' den because I'm not so used to being around so many cats all the time. If you don't, I understand. If you need someone for any reason, I'm always around."

Part of Duskpaw wanted to lament the former loner, but she knew better and dipped her head.

"Thank you." she said, her voice returning to her normal soft volume.

"No problem." Callaspring purred and turned to leave.

Duskpaw jumped to her paws and padded just behind her, following the she-cat to the medicine den. She drew to a stop and stared up into the sky. A gust of wind died down as tiny white specks floated through the empty air. A flake glanced her nose and she sneezed. The white warrior glanced around.

"I do hope winter among a Clan is nicer than on your own." she murmured to herself. Duskpaw silently agreed. Callaspring blinked warmly at her and waited a moment. The pair walked side by side, pelts brushing lightly as they stepped into the mild shelter of the medicine clearing.

Inside, Rivertail was grooming herself at the entrance to her den. For once, the herbs were stacked neatly away, where they should be. A section of the fern walls was flattened down into a soft nest. Duskpaw guessed two cats might barely be able to fit. As soon as the tabby she-cat saw the ex-apprentice she turned and disappeared into her den. Duskpaw was too tired to care either way what she did.

"If you want, you can share my nest with me or you're welcome to make your own. Nobody will mind." Callaspring told her. Duskpaw nodded and approached the new alcove. She thought better of it and stepped over to one side. She batted a few fronds down and flattened them, making a nest for herself a tail-length from Callapsring's. It was barely past sun-high but she could no longer resist the tug of sleep on her eyelids. She curled up tightly and closed her eyes. No one bothered her.

* * *

Duskpaw didn't know how long she slept, but when she woke next the ground was cold, abandoned by sunlight. It couldn't be night, yet, as the sky was still bleeding with bright reds, oranges, and pinks. As she took her first wakeful breath, her nose was filled with the scent of a familiar black cat.

"Duskpaw." Strathfang murmured. He must have been the one to wake her. Drearily, the small she-cat sat up. Her eyes were still unfocused but she could tell they were alone.

"I'm sorry, Strathfang, I didn't hear you. Did you need something of me?" she said. Her head climbed quickly out of her murky unconsciousness.

"Um, yes, actually." he began awkwardly. Strathfang stared at his paws. "I know.. er, recent events have-your health should come before anything and I want to.. make sure _you_ are okay."

It was Duskpaw's turn to look at her paws. She nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Okay." the tom sighed in relief. "I'll just start by asking you some questions. How have you been feeling?"

Duskpaw swallowed and thought carefully for a moment. "No different than usual. I've had an upset stomach in the mornings the past few days but that usually happens when I don't eat in the morning. Actually, I've gotten tired a bit easier, too, but that's for the same reason, I think." she meowed.

Strathfang nodded and stood. "Alright. If you don't mind, I'd like to go over you and make sure you don't have any scratches or bruises." he forced the words to come out as casually as he could. He knew she must be suspicious already, but if he could manage it at all, he wanted her to feel as normal as she could. If he were in her paws, he would want nothing more than to be treated normally.

He stepped carefully around the shorter cat. He sniffed tentatively here and there on her pelt, trying to look very interested in what he was doing. Finally, he couldn't find a new way to stall and softly pressed his nose to her lower flank. He felt her flinch under his touch and he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. More importantly, he felt something else, and it wouldn't be long before she felt it, too.

"D-duskpaw-" he jumped back in surprise. The cream-pelted cat pricked her ears in concern.

"What is it?" she asked quietly. He met her eyes and hoped she couldn't sense the apprehension deep inside of him.

"Er, I might be wrong- not that I'm a bad medicine cat- but, um, I think the cat you.. you're carrying his kits."

Duskpaw's pupils shrunk to tiny slits. She blinked rapidly, restoring them slightly to their original size. Her chest stuttered for a moment, seeming as though the breath had been knocked out of her. She opened her mouth but for a time nothing came out. She closed it again before anything did. She sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. The fur along her spine rose partially and she took a moment to force it down. She seemed almost calm when she managed to utter a word.

"What are the chances that you're wrong?" she asked in a clear voice.

"Well, very low. It's hard to be wrong about these things." Strathfang said honestly.

"What does this mean? Will I be a queen, will Thunderstar banish me?" the panic rose in her mew and Strathfang leaped to her side, pressing against her comfortingly.

"Thunderstar is a sensible cat. He would never put a young cat or… or her _kits_ in danger." he soothed. She looked at him.

"What will I be? I'm too young to be a real queen, and I don't want to be. I just want to go back to my training.." The medicine cat could barely stand the sympathy he felt for her. He couldn't imagine how she felt. And judging by the tom absent from her side, whomever it may be, she would feel it alone. Stathfang sighed.

"I'm sorry, but that isn't possible. Maybe one of the queens can care for them once they're born. And perhaps Thunderstar will see how brave you've been and let you continue your training after that. Until then, you can stay here. It won't hurt anyone to have an extra paw around here to help." he said.

"What will they all think about me?" she murmured.

"It doesn't matter what other cats think. If they're still your friends, that's wonderful. If they can't get over you breaking the rules, they're not being honest with themselves. A cat is bound to go against the warrior code at least once in their lives." Duskpaw blinked and looked deep in thought for a moment.

"I guess I don't really have a choice. Thank you, anyways, Strathfang. I'm going to sleep, again. I don't want to think about this very much, right now." the tom was about to protest, but before he said anything her head was laid against the soft ferns. She seemed to be asleep, already.

He stood and left her alone. He was almost ready to rest his head on some soft moss, himself, when a soft swishing alerted him of a cat's arrival in the medicine clearing. He turned around to see two white forms in the entrance to the open space. He blinked rapidly in the darkness until he could see their faces clearly: Duckwing and Callaspring.

"Why are you here so late?" he whispered, fearful of waking the sleeping she-cat a few tail-lengths away.

"I saw this young fool milling around in the clearing just next to the ferns and I knew something was bothering him. I just convinced him to come in but I suppose we're too late." Callaspring murmured, flicking her tail towards the furry lump among the ferns.

"Maybe not. I don't think she'd mind a little lent warmth, tonight." Starthfang purred, glancing at the bits of snow clinging to their similar pelts. Callaspring nodded and padded towards Duskpaw. Duckwing seemed worried but the she-cat wrapped her tail around his neck and gently pulled him along with her. Each of them sat on one side of her. Duskpaw whimpered almost inaudibly before returning to her normal sleeping state. Strathfang went away to his own den and Callaspring folded her forelegs underneath her. Duckwing refused to tire and sat sentry by her side throughout the entire night.


	16. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

Snow crunched softly under the pawsteps of a ValleyClan patrol. Thunderstar led the little group himself. Their aim was to check on the two-legs' progress. Hopping along on the frozen ground behind him were Runningwind, Glenberry, and Hollowfoot. They turned a bend just behind a thick oak tree to see the ruins where trees had once been rooted.

No two-legs were around, inside or outside of the great, shining beasts. In fact, most of the things were gone. Only one or two small orange-pelted ones rested along the edge of the rivets made by the big things' paws. The full-grown trees that had been pulled up were laid parallel to each other and partially stacked beside one of the orange beasts. A handful of half-grown uprooted sprouts tottered with the wind as it blew. A dust of snow still blanketed the tree trunks and the monsters. The patrol was about to leave, satisfied, when the cry of a strange cat drew their attention.

"You!" a tom called. Thunderstar glanced around, but could not see anyone. Then, from behind a snow drift, a dark colored tom emerged. As he got closer, his pelt was obviously a very dark brown color rather than black. He had wide pale eyes with slivers for pupils. His head was broad but his body was fairly slim with bright, sleek fur. He stopped before the patrol, shifting his weight on his paws nervously. He wreaked of fear scent.

"Can we help you?" Hollowfoot said diplomatically.

"Yes. Well-do you know anything about kitting?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"We know a cat who specializes in healing." Thunderstar replied. The cat became visibly relieved.

"Are they near? My mate needs assistance desperately." he meowed.

"I can send someone to go fetch her." Thunderstar conceded. "Hollowfoot, fetch Rivertail. She should be on patrol with Gorgeclaw and Rabbitleap. We'll wait here for you." his son dipped his head and left at a steady run.

"How long will he take?" the tom queried nervously.

"Er.. it shouldn't take that long. I heard they wanted to hunt near the border this morning." Glenberry piped in encouragingly. The tom didn't seem to take it that way.

"What's your name?" Runningwillow meowed.

"Mulberry." he replied curtly.

"And what is your mate's?" he added.

"Freesia." he meowed.

"Is your home very far?" Thunderstar said.

The tom glanced around. "Not very far. Straight that way, away from the black river the uprights are making."

"Black river?" Glenberry cocked her head, confused.

"Yes, the upright carriers need them to get places. You've never seen them before?" Mulberry explained, his fear scent dissipating slowly.

Thunderstar stifled a purr of pride towards his warriors as he replied. "Our territory is mostly surrounded by the cliff. Most two-legs don't travel that far and most warriors only leave the territory a pawful of times in their life."

"I can't blame them. I've never left my nest alone, before. But Freesia needed help.." he searched the treeline behind their heads as he remembered what he was waiting for.

"Why can't your two-legs help her?" Glenberry asked cautiously.

"It's hard to explain.. My uprights keep cats for their looks and for the kits they can produce. They care for us and in exchange we take the mates they offer us and surrender our kits when they are old enough. Freesia is not owned by an upright, and I never should have met her, but I found a hole in my nest a few moons ago. It was my first time outside without my uprights. I wanted to explore the forest behind the nest, and Freesia was hunting there.. Anyways, my uprights cannot find out about my mate."

A rustling behind them prevented anyone from consoling or further distracting the worrying tom. Hollowfoot approached with the ginger she-cat close behind.

"We need to leave, now." Rivertail meowed commandingly. Thunderstar nodded.

"Glenberry, Hollowfoot, Runningwillow, return to camp and tell Ravinefall where we're going. Hopefully we will return before sundown but if we don't, she'll have to lead the evening patrol and assign cats to the dawn patrol."

They dipped their heads and left for camp.

"Lead the way." Rivertail meowed.

* * *

Mulberry led them quickly through the trees, arriving at his mate's den sooner than they'd thought. At first they were confused as he stopped in front of a fox hole, still wreaking with the canid's stench. Thunderstar realized it was a clever choice, deterring other predators and hiding the enticing scent of a vulnerable mother and her blind, deaf young. They didn't hesitate and stepped inside, one after another.

"M-mulberry?" a quivering voice asked in the dim space. The dark tom brushed past the Clan cats and pressed against the she-cat, their silhouettes becoming one.

"I'm here, and I've brought cats to help you." he murmured in a warm, comforting voice.

"A-are you sure we can trust them?" she whispered fearfully.

"If they wanted to hurt us, they would've done it already." he purred softly.

"My name is Rivertail. I'm here to help you, Freesia. I've helped many queens during their kittings and I'd like to help you, too." the medicine cat's generally harsh voice was coated in sweet, soothing honey.

"Alright.." the queen consented, the last bit of her word spiked with sudden pain.

Acting fast, Rivertail squatted beside the queen. Thunderstar stood back near the entrance. Mulberry's fear scent began to rise, again. The leader brushed his nose against the kitty-pet's flank, drawing him out of the fox hole.

"What is it? My mate is having my kits in there." he hissed annoyedly. Thunderstar blinked sympathetically.

"I've awaited three litters in my life, and crowding around your queen while the medicine cat tries to tend to her will only cause more problems. It's best if you wait out here and ask StarClan for the best."

"You're right, I suppose.." the tom admitted grudgingly.

"Wait, you believe in StarClan?" Thunderstar meowed. Mulberry flicked his tail.

"Is that so strange? My mother taught me about them when I was young. I've never talked much with the other cats in my nest, I don't know what they believe."

"What is your mother's name?" Thunderstar asked urgently, a flash of remembrance crossing his mind.

"Why is that-"

"Thunderstar!" Rivertail's voice called from inside. Without another thought about their conversation, the bicolor tom slipped inside and stopped behind the medicine cat. She turned and set a warm wet lump at his paws.

"You've done this enough times, right?" she meowed, a slight hint of humor in her strained voice. He had. He bent his head and started vigorously licking the sodden scrap. He couldn't feel it's heart beating or it's breath, not a single sign of life. As the warmth started to leave the tiny body, he knew his efforts were for not. Rivertail took a deep breath, ready to call Mulberry in, too, when Thunderstar flicked her side with his tail.

"This kit wasn't meant to be with us." he whispered as quietly as he could, the quiet in the den making it hard to keep it from the laboring queen.

"Oh.. alright, put him at the far side of the den. No need for the poor body to be torn up by his hungry littermates." Thunderstar felt a sick pang in his stomach from her harsh words. He did as he was told, taking only a second to reflect on the tiny, stiffening body, so much like one he had seen before.

He barely turned back towards the she-cats when another newborn bundle was thrust towards him. This one was already weakly squirming and he had no problem getting it to utter it's first cry. He lifted it almost daintily and laid it beside its mother. In the lowering light he could barely make out the dark and light patches. A tiny tortoiseshell she-kit. Rivertail set a similar kit beside her and sat back.

"Congratulations on your two beautiful daughters." she purred. "Mulberry!" she yowled harshly over her shoulder.

The new father dashed in, smothering his mate in affectionate licks and face-rubs. He stopped suddenly and stared down at the tiny kits. His eyes strained until they hurt, but he saw them clearly enough that he broke into a deep, reverberating purr. As he was satisfactorily distracted, Rivertail gave Thunderstar a look. He knew what she wanted and stood, lifting up the tiny body in his jaws and carrying it outside.

The ground was still cold and covered in snow, but he refused to just cover the tiny scrap with snow. His claws were dull and bruised at the base when he was done, the sun fully set behind him, but he was able to set the unlucky little thing in a proper resting spot. Looking down at the miniature ginger cat, just like his mother, Thunderstar sent a silent prayer to StarClan.

 _Please take this kit into your ranks and protect him as well as one of your own. He is of a strong kin, fit to be warriors themselves._

Without waiting for his paws to freeze, he replaced the soil over the small body and returned to the repurposed fox den. Rivertail was still inside, laying down with her paws underneath her. Mulberry was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Mulberry?" Thunderstar asked. Rivertail looked up.

"He had to leave. His two-legs were calling him… We're not sure if he will be able to return." she stated flatly. He looked towards Freesia in the dark, but she said nothing.

"Will you be able to care for them on your own?" he asked gently.

"I've taken care of myself when I was wounded, before. This can't be much harder." she replied sharply. He heard her shifting farther away from him only for her kits to mewl in complaint.

"We can leave whenever you wish, Thunderstar." Rivertail mewed. He paused thoughtfully before he spoke up one last time.

"You and your kits are always welcome in ValleyClan. We would be happy to shelter you for as long as you need, and if you ever wanted to leave, you would be welcome to. May StarClan bring luck to you and your litter." he dipped his head and without another word, the leader and medicine cat trekked back to camp in silence.

* * *

The night after Thunderstar punished Duskpaw, Asterpaw had a terrible nightmare. In the morning, she couldn't remember, anymore, if she was chasing someone or being chased, and she didn't care. She was just glad it was over. She blamed it on eat too much right before going to her nest. She had an early hunting patrol with Gorgeclaw and Rivertail, but Hollowfoot had called the medicine cat away before she'd caught anything. Asterpaw had been eager to suggest just returning to camp, hoping to find Duckwing and talk to him. Unfortunately for her, Gorgeclaw had chosen that day to become a responsible grown cat, and refused to simply give up.

He acted a little overbearing, critiquing her crouch and methods even when they were almost perfect. Asterpaw didn't entirely mind, though, as she knew she could always improve and she was helping him, too, so that he'd be ready to have an apprentice soon. They returned to camp not long after sun-high with a hearty catch of prey for Leaf-bare. Asterpaw wanted to show Redpaw how well she had done, but she wasn't in camp. She must be on a patrol of her own. Duckwing came to mind, again. She asked Gorgeclaw if he need her for anything else that day, and thankfully he let her relax for the time being. She scolded herself for not training more, and told herself she'd get some battle practice in tomorrow even if she had to go to the practice clearing by herself.

She turned towards the warriors' den and poked her head in. She was glad to get her paws out of the cold snow and onto the soft, dry moss. The bright white pelt she was looking for was curled up in the back alone. She slipped inside, walking towards him and sitting a respectable distance away before speaking up to wake him.

"Duckwing." she meowed. The young warrior twitched slightly, stirring. She sat patiently, wrapping her tail around her paws, as he woke up.

"Asterpaw..? What is it?" he asked sleepily. His jaw stretched in a long yawn, his pink tongue curling above his teeth.

"I wanted to talk to you.. about Duskpaw?" she asked as perkily as possible. His face instantly became still, his ears turning away almost angrily.

"I have nothing to say." he said, staring eerily over her head; not that he could help it. "I've already said more than enough."

"But clearly there's something more-"

"I _said_ , there is nothing to _be_ said. Drop it, Asterpaw. It's none of your business." he interrupted, a slight hiss tainting his voice. Asterpaw shrunk down slightly, scared that the always friendly and understanding young tom would be so harsh to his friend.

"I just want to help. Please, Duckwing." she said softly, hopefully.

"There's nothing you can do. You're just an apprentice, Asterpaw, you should be worrying about your duties, not this big cat stuff."

"Duskpaw was an apprentice. You seemed to think _she_ could deal some pretty serious 'big cat stuff'." Asterpaw retorted, the fur on her tail and spine rising. Duckwing's fur instantly did the same and his lips pulled back in a snarl. She knew someone outside could hear him, now.

"Don't you _dare_ say a word about Duskpaw! You're too mouse-brained to have a clue what she's been dealing with, you fox scat!" he growled fiercely. He was kneading his claws into the mossy ground, as if he'd like to use them on her. Asterpaw suddenly got very scared and hastily left, backing quickly out of the den. She kicked up snow as she stopped outside, causing Ravinefall to approach with the gentlest demeanor the strong she-cat could display.

"Asterpaw? What was that just now, with Duckwing?" she asked calmly. She softly put her tail out in front of the apprentice, stopping her in her slow, ambling path.

"I was just being nosy.. It was my fault, really." she murmured in a daze.

"What were you asking about?" Ravinefall said.

"Nothing important, silly things that weren't my business. I promise I won't do it again, especially if it makes some cat that mad at me." she replied, truly apologetic.

"Asterpaw, no one should be that upset about a nosy 'paw poking about. Although you shouldn't go placing yourself in other cat's business, a responsible warrior should be able to calmly keep their business to themself. I'll inform Thunderstar that Duckwing has been acting immaturely and that you need some training in respect. I believe Redpaw is back in camp, now. Why don't you go calm down with her?"

"Alright.. Thank you, Ravinefall." she meowed, slightly in awe.

"It is my duty." the deputy replied simply.

Mistified, Asterpaw turned and stepped into the apprentices' den. Redpaw and Flamepaw had just gotten there a moment before, still standing in her way. She bumped into her sister's rear and she stumbled a moment.

"Oh!-Asterpaw. I'm glad you're in camp, too." Redpaw purred in surprise.

She nodded. "I caught a lot of prey this morning and then Duckwing growled at me." she replied matter-of-factly. Redpaw pricked her ears.

"What? Why?" Flamepaw spat out before her sister could.

"It was stupid, and mostly my fault. I don't really want to talk about it." she muttered unhappily.

"Well.. I'm sorry." Redpaw sighed, pressing her pelt against Asterpaw's momentarily.

"He's just being moody. He's probably just nervous, you know how expecting fathers are." Redpaw snickered playfully.

"Who's having his kits?" Flamepaw asked, bewildered. "You don't think.."

"I know." Redpaw scoffed. "I was stalking a blue jay, but a patrol scared it away. I hid and as they passed by, I heard Gullydawn say she heard from Brindleflame that Duskpaw was having kits. And we all know the only tom she's ever had eyes for.."

Asterpaw stared at her, a bit shocked. "And I thought I was the secret stealer of us two." she huffed.

"We're young. Things can change." Redpaw shrugged. "Hey, Flamepaw, want to practice our new battle techniques?" she said, turning to the tom.

"Oh, sure. Um, Asterpaw..? Would you like to join us?" he offered awkwardly.

She shook her head. "No I'm still kinda shaky from.. I think I'm just going to groom my fur and relax in here for awhile." she dismissed him politely.

"Alright. Hope you feel better." I mewed kindly. Redpaw left without a word and he quickly followed. She heard an occasional play growl or 'oof' as they went over their new moves accompanied by the constant crunching of snow. She did as she had said, eventually falling asleep in the dry, wind-blocking den. She woke up long enough to eat, but dozed off again right after. Feeling guilty being so lazy during the harshest season, she volunteered to go on the dawn patrol the next day.

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A/N

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Tada~! Wolfsplash is back from the dead. I apologize so so so many times for slacking so hardcore and leaving you guys in the dust. But I'm back in the groove and finally inspired, again, to write this and so pumped to toy with all of your emotions. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully in a week or two. I'll try to establish a schedule, again; maybe two chapters every three weeks, this time. I hope you liked this chapter and may StarClan light your path.


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